Self-Discovery
by PearLynn
Summary: This is the story of how Katara figured out her love for her best friend, and how loving someone doesn't have to be the defining piece of her life. Now rated M. For ZK Month 2014. Cover art by myself.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

_**A/N** This chapter is going to encompass the entire first week of ZK month, and the following chapters of this ficlet will do the same each week of the month. Enjoy?_

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She sat alone, drenched in darkness- save the solitary candle burning on her nightstand. She stared at the flame as it flickered, melted wax dripping down the side of the stick at a pace so slow she lost herself in the anticipation of when it would pool on the wood at the base. She knew the shadows the fire cast on her face were eerie, based on the billowing black silhouette on the ceiling above her. She knew she would appear like a spirit in the light, eyes hollow in the shade and hair in a tangled heap as it fell down her back.

Sleep evaded her, just as it did every night since Sozin's Comet passed four days ago.

The war was over. They won. They were safe. So why did she feel the agitating nag in the back of her mind to wake at midnight in the midst of a nightmare, light her candle, and stare at it like it held some hidden message for her to find? Like a warning harbored in the orange and gold as it flickered in front of her eyes?

It all started after the first time she had the dream. On the night after the Agni Kai. She was in the middle of the courtyard, red sky overhead and oversized blue and orange flames dueling in an intricate dance that could only be pinpointed as deadly. And beautiful. Her eyes were always transfixed on a lone silhouette in the flames, holding his own and pushing back. Then it was suddenly all gone. He was on the ground, muscles spazzing with foreign electricity. Pained groans leaving his thin and paling lips reached her ears and she couldn't move to help him. Her feet were frozen to the ground, watching as his body slowly stopped moving and his arm dropped from his chest. Every single time, it would land with a thud against the cold stones under him and it was then that she could finally move.

But she was never fast enough.

Boots slapped against wet stones and concrete as she sprinted to the prone body in the center of the courtyard. Her heart was in her throat, stomach in knots. She could literally smell the singed ends of her own hair. Feel her eyes burn with the heat and sweat fell down her face at a rate faster than her feet were moving her.

But she was still never fast enough.

She reached him, immediately smelling the blood and the burnt flesh of his wound. It was so real, like it was actually happening right in front of her eyes all over again. She tried to ignore it when she cradled his limp head and gently rolled him over, but the sight of the starburst blossoming in the center of his otherwise perfect and marble-like torso caused her to sob. She could feel her eyes begin to tickle with imminent tears, though she knew they would never fall.

Looking around, she realized there wasn't enough water close enough to help him. It was dry as a desert in this plaza, all the water used up and gone.

But somehow, she conjured up enough to use on him and gloved her hands as she hovered them over his wound. She squeezed her eyes closed and willed the healing waters to flow through his every single vein, to close the gaping hole under her bloodstained hands. But he still didn't move. His staggering heartbeat was already too faint under her hands, too uneven and unsteady. She could feel him fight, but it almost seemed like it wasn't enough. He was fading under the red sky and the glow of her water.

And that's when she would wake with a sob swallowed and trapped in her tight throat. The tears she thought wouldn't fall were trickling down her cheeks and dripping onto her duvet.

Then the ritual would start; lighting the candle and staring at the flame and waiting for some type of epiphany to arise in her mind until impatience or irritation caused her to either go back to sleep or lay in her bed and stare at the ceiling until the sun lit her room. It wasn't the actual dream that baffled her. It was her reaction. A crushing pain her chest would stay until her heart calmed and reminded her that it wasn't real, no matter how much it seemed so. She was always slick with sweat, like the flames were still licking her skin, and the stench of boiled blood lingered in her nostrils longer than she thought was possible. Her body was literally panicking. And it was because of what she had seen.

Zuko dead, right in front of her. And there was nothing she could do about it.

That was the worst part.

She didn't react like this when Aang had _actually _died at the hands of Azula's lightning, so why did she when her mind conjured a false ending to when Zuko was struck by the same hands? This time she didn't have Spirit Oasis water to save him, if he had died like Aang had. Zuko had redirected the lightning for the most part. Except it had passed through his heart, like he told Aang _not _to do. He had suffered because he rashly moved to protect her. This is what she always told herself when her mind got to this part.

Just the actual _thought_ of him dying was hurting her more than when Aang had actually been dead in her arms. She didn't wake up in the middle of the night, tears falling down her face and sobs struggling to escape her with the mere thought of Aang being gone. It only felt this way when she thought of Zuko being in that position.

Her room was stifling, too hot and stuffy for her tastes. So she threw her heavy duvet off her feet and licked her thumb and forefinger before snuffing the candle's fire in between them. Quickly, she stood and grabbed a robe she borrowed from Zuko off of the dresser near the door, slipping it on over her bindings and tying it before she went to the door and made her way outside.

She slid down the hall with a quietness akin to a slow flowing stream, the large borrowed robe floating behind her as she rounded each corner that brought her closer and closer to her destination. The corridors of the Fire Nation palace were silent, the only noises being the occasional guard walking nearby and the sound of a breeze floating through opened windows. For some reason, it made her feel like she was a ghost passing through the halls. No one paid heed to her presence, not that she passed many people on her mini journey. The palace was practically barren after Azula banished almost every servant and Imperial Firebender in the building. So running into an unfamiliar soul was unlikely.

Not that running into a familiar one was any more likely.

Sokka sent a hawk that arrived two days prior, announcing the defeat of Ozai and the liberation of Ba Sing Se. He, Suki, Toph, Aang, and an incapacitated Ozai should be arriving by airship sometime tomorrow, along with Iroh and some of the members of the White Lotus.

So until then, she would be alone. Well, not really alone. Zuko was here. But he really wasn't in the best shape to be wondering the halls with her at odd times of the night. She had half-dragged, half-walked him into the abandoned palace and up to his room, where he unceremoniously fell onto the mattress with a tight grimace and dreadful groan before he passed out again. For a couple of hours, they went through several tiring healing sessions, wasted time by playing a game of cards that he called 'rummy', and discovered hidden snacks he had stuffed in one of the drawers of his nightstand. It wasn't until the High Sage knocked on the door and delivered Sokka's message that either of them left the room. He moved her over into the room next to his, which according to him had been an empty bedroom since before he was born. Staying together in his room, no matter how practical at the time considering she needed to be nearby, was improper. She blushed at that very thought.

Now she has rarely seen him, just randomly running into him when she decided to explore the corridors of his home or finding him in his new office pouring over the plans of his upcoming coronation. But those meetings were scarce, now that he was running the place. And since she started having these dreams, seeing him felt like the only relief she could get from the nagging in her heart. She couldn't explain it, but his presence was the only thing that eased her. Even if it was sparse.

Bare feet brought her to a garden, the same Zuko had brought her to a few days prior. He said it was his mother's garden, where he would feed turtleducks with her and spend many afternoons of his childhood when he wasn't doing lessons with his private tutor or going through firebending lessons. And it is beautiful.

Even in the cloud-covered moonlight, this place emulated a serene majesty that calmed her fraying nerves. Tree branches swayed in the wind, while the scent of flowers that lined the walkway cutting through the center of the open courtyard filled her nostrils. In the darkness she couldn't fully appreciate the sight around her, but she could spot one definite thing. In fact, it was the only thing she could see now.

She tried to remain silent as she approached him, a dark and familiar silhouette sitting in the grass under the lone sakura tree in the center of the lawn. He looked tense as he stared into the rippling water of the pond in front of him, his lips tight in a small frown as his hands picked at the hem of his pants. When she reached his side, he didn't look up or acknowledge her presence. It was then she knew he was certainly distracted.

"Can't sleep?"

He jumped, snapped his head up and stared at her with wide golden eyes, momentarily shocked, before he relaxed and sighed as he ran his hands through his unruly hair. "No. You too?"

She sat next to him and stretched her legs out in front of her, propping her arms behind her and resting all of her weight on her palms. "Not at all. I had a bad dream."

"You want to talk about it?"

Glancing over, she saw he was now looking at her with softened concern. Like he always did. She shrugged and shook her head. "There's nothing to talk about, really."

"Katara, you can talk to me about anything. You know that, right?"

She nodded and looked back to him. In his eyes was patience, and empathy. Something she knew that was reserved for her. She had seen his short fuse and apathetic nature before, but it was never directed at her. Not since he joined their side at the Western Air Temple. Even when she had spat at him with sarcasm and distaste, he never gave her a look but the one he gave her now.

"It's just..." she paused when her voice cracked. How could she tell him about the pain she felt when she awoke from her nightmare? How, even though he was sitting right next to her with lively eyes and worry etched all over his face, she feared that this was all a dream and the image of his empty body came to the forefront of her mind every time she looked at him? How she thought that confessing all of these things to him would be like admitting her weakness?

"Katara, what is it?"

"I-" The sob she swallowed earlier tried to escape her throat and tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. Now that she was sitting here with him, she couldn't help but relive the helplessness she felt the night of the comet. Along with the alternate ending of the duel from her dreams. It felt like he was just a ghost right in front of her, about to disappear into the wind with a simple touch of her shaking fingers. Her heart seized and fluttered painfully in her chest, hammering against her ribcage like it was fighting to break free.

She didn't realize that she had begun crying until Zuko wrapped his arms around her and buried her face into his chest. She felt him cringe in pain and discomfort at the contact, but he seemed to ignore it as he held her tighter. He rubbed circles in her back and hushed her softly, all while she shuddered and cried into the thin silk that barely cover his torso. She inhaled with a shaky breath, taking in his all-too-familiar scent of smoke and sweat, and tried to calm herself. He was right here, holding her. Alive and well. So why was she acting this way?

They sat in silence for a while, an amount of time Katara lost track of, and once her breathing calmed Zuko slowly stopped stroking her back. He adjusted his grip on her and rested his chin on top of her head as he whispered, "Okay, now you really need to tell me what's going on."

With a sniff, she pulled away and wiped her eyes and nose of any incriminating tears. She looked into his eyes, smoldering and wide as he waited for her answer, and she inhaled deeply before she replied, "It's nothing really. I sort of overreacted, that's all..."

"I know overreaction and that wasn't it," he stated tersely, his eyebrow pulling down as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Now stop lying and tell me what that was about."

"I... well..." She glanced away, another sob trapped in her throat, and looked to the pond where the reflection of a partially cloud-covered moon rippled with the breeze blowing by. "I keep having this dream... It's of the Agni Kai and..."

"It ends differently than what really happened?"

Katara whipped her head back to his, her eyebrows shot up to her hairline and mouth agape. "You too?!"

Zuko nodded once and looked to the pond, his hand leaving her shoulder and going back to play with the hem of his pants. His lower lip was worried between his teeth when he mumbled, "I keep dreaming that I didn't get the lightning-" his hand when up to his bandaged chest and traced the area right above where his new scar would be- "and you got hit instead... And I couldn't get to you in time to help you..." He turned his head to her slightly, his hand flexing on the white gauze, and smiled sadly as he murmured, "But when I wake up, I'm always reminded that I did."

Nodding, Katara brought her gaze to his hand and the bandage underneath it as she whispered, "I dream that I didn't heal you in time... It's the same every time. I'm frozen in the same spot and I can't get to you... And when I finally do, it's too late." She cradled her head in her hands and continued with a rushed mumble, "And I can smell the blood and your burnt skin like when it really happened... And every time you're already gone by the time I can finally do something..."

"I'm still here, you know."

She glanced up at him with a slight disdain, partially insulted at his tone. But instead of apologizing, he shrugged and looked down to his lap again.

"You and I both know that we survived that fight because we had each other's backs," he responded quietly, his fingers gripping at the air. "I accepted Azula's challenge for the Agni Kai because I knew it would be the right way. If we both had gone against her, I would have been too busy worrying about you to pay attention to her."

Katara's throat constricted again and she felt another stray tear leave her eye. But before she could hastily wipe it away, Zuko's thumb came up and dried her cheek. She cast him a grateful look and he just smiled before he ran his hand through the grass in between them.

"Trust me when I say what I did was worth it," he murmured, his voice wavering slightly.

Her mouth moved before she could think. "What do you mean?"

His eyes darted back to hers and locked her in her spot; the gold glowing the night and shining so raw she couldn't look away. His admission was right there, lingering on unsaid words and whispers in the wind. The emotions he seldom wore on his sleeve were out in full force right in this moment, the truth like the breath leaving the slightly parted opening of his lips. She knew what he was going to say, before he even said it. And the way his hand unconsciously took hers and held it tightly, she knew her suspicion to be right.

Why she felt so broken at the thought of losing him. Why she felt lost when her mind cornered her into thinking it to be the truth. Why the relief at the sight of his face washed over her heavier than any water she could bend. Why when he touched her, it was nothing like she ever felt before.

The look in his eyes and the way he still held her hand spoke more words than the ones he was about to say. And when his response left him like a breath of fresh air, she breathed it all in.

"Because you are worth it."

Katara felt herself slowly leaning forward, unconsciously, towards Zuko when he had said those words. And he was doing the same, his lidded eyes now looking to her parted lips. Their noses were practically touching when Katara felt her eyes start to close and her heart began to hammer up into her throat. But just as she felt breath fan against her face, the sound of clanking armor and a shout jolted them apart, like they both had been burned by the others' touch.

"Prince Zuko! Your Highness!"

A growl vibrated in Zuko's chest and he cleared his throat before turning towards the approaching voice and glared at the offender. His good cheek had a dusting of pink and it was lucky that it was so dark out, Katara thought to herself. Just as the guard reached them, Zuko straightened his short robe and snapped, "What is it?"

The man visibly bristled before bowing at the waist and speaking in a rushed and breathless tone, "My liege, the airship with your allies and Phoenix King Ozai has arrived at the royal docks. The High Sage has already sent two carriages to bring them back to the palace through the private path on the west side of the island."

Zuko turned back to Katara and locked eyes with her for one moment, every ounce of unspoken words right in her sight, and they exchanged a silent agreement before he tilted his head towards the guard and replied, "Tell the remaining servants to prepare the guest rooms in the north wing and for the cooks to whip up a lot of food... And for a heavily guarded caravan to bring Ozai to the Capital prison as soon as they arrive. I'll send orders over by hawk to tell them what to do with him."

There was a quiet 'yes sir' and the guard hustled away, leaving the two benders alone once more. Zuko looked to his hands in his lap and cleared his throat once more before standing and brushing off his pants. He held out his hand for her and said quietly, "We better go inside. I'm pretty sure once everyone gets here, they'll want some food and hugs."

Katara grinned, all thoughts of what transpired forcefully pushed to the back of her mind, took his hand, and giggled as she stood, "That's true. Are you sure there'll be food for us this early in the morning?"

Zuko shrugged and led her inside, his hand still holding hers, and replied, "I'm sure the cooks won't object if its an order from me."

With a nod, Katara looked down to their joined hands and frowned. Suddenly, she stopped and took her hand out of his grip and hugged herself, ignoring Zuko's puzzled stare back at her. Her mind leaped back to what had happened moments before between them, what it meant and what they would do now. She was about to open her mouth to speak, but Zuko walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Listen, we can talk about... what we were talking about before once everyone gets settled in and we have some privacy, okay?"

"Zuko, I don't think we're going to have any privacy any time soon..."

She glanced up and saw him worry his lower lip between his teeth before he screwed his eyes shut and sighed. He quickly leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead before he took her hand again and silently led her inside. She tried to ignore how her cheeks and the tips of her ears burned and how her heart was once again trying to burst out of her chest. Now was not the time to be mulling over a little kiss on the forehead, since they were on the way to reunite with everyone.

Once they entered the corridors, she could hear the approaching steps and familiar shouts of their friends. And just as they rounded the corner and spotted them all, Zuko finally let go of her hand.

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_tbc_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

_**A/N **this encompasses the second week of ZK Month. I need to clarify that these chapters pretty much only use the prompts as keywords, in a way. I'm not going to use them for entire sections, but they get mentioned. They're more of guidelines than actual rules._

_To answer some reviews, I'm going to sort of summarize my overall reply:_

_This is by far one of my favorite little ficlets I've written. I feel that my writing has grown in the year that I've been an author for FFN and this one really reflects that growth. I, too, get butterflies while rereading this and I'm glad that some of you guys do. And just so you all know, this is not going to be a "Katara and Zuko end up with other people and grow old with regret" kind of story. I promise you'll see that next week._

_Okay, now read please._

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Their names being shouted with such elated and relieved joy seemed to shock Katara to her very core. Yes, the relief was washing over her as well but she also felt an anxious twinge in her stomach as she surveyed their newly arrived friends. Sokka was leaning heavily on a bedraggled looking Suki, and Toph was sporting a few minor burns and scratches along her arms and one of her cheeks. Katara glanced over to see Iroh hugging Zuko with reservation, possibly because he had seen Zuko's bandaged chest, and noticed that other than a slightly mussed topknot, he looked just fine.

But it was when she saw Aang that the realization of the past week's events finally caught up with her. The shirt he had worn since the invasion had been burned to scraps and he had a couple of burns, bruises, and scrapes along his arms and chest. He wasn't wearing shoes either and his feet were incredibly filthy. To put it plainly: he looked like hell. And it made Katara want to wrap him in a blanket, hand him a hot cup of tea, and tuck him away from all of the dangers in the world for as long as she possibly could.

He gave her a meek smile and took a step towards her. "Hey, Katara."

She didn't give him an answer. Instead she strode over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him close to her chest and cradling his head with one of her hands. She felt like she might have caught the hurt look on Zuko's face out of the corner of her eye, but she chose to ignore it just for that second. Aang had just battled with, in Sokka's words, the "biggest, baddest man on the planet" and won. She wouldn't have to listen to the regaling of the story to know it had been epic and worthy of story books.

Not that Zuko's battle with Azula wasn't. Every single person standing near her would probably be regarded in history and legends for the rest of time.

Aang had wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his nose into her neck, smiling against her skin.

"I'm so proud of you," she whispered as she pulled out of the hug and gave him a caring stare. But when he smiled back at her, she felt her gut twist in the anger she felt when he had abandoned her and their friends right before the battle. The hurt and worry she felt before bubbled up in her throat and she had to bite her tongue to refrain from yelling at him and slapping him right across his childish face. Instead, she gave Aang a tight-lipped grin and patted him on the shoulder before she went to Sokka and wrapped her arms around him.

He took his arm off of Suki and draped it over her shoulders, mumbling against her hair, "We did it, Kat."

She nodded hurriedly, feeling her eyes prickle with oncoming tears. This was something they had dreamed for since they had been children, since they left their home and began the long journey with the Avatar. And it was finally a reality. The war was won, and they were still here. "Yeah, we did."

There was a quiet murmuring behind them and she felt a hand on her back. She turned to see Iroh had come over and was smiling warmly at the both of them. "I think we better get moving towards the dining hall. My nephew has informed me that there should be food waiting for all of us."

"Thank goodness!" Sokka groaned out with exasperation. "I'm _starving__!"_

He hobbled back towards Suki, who in turn put her arm around his meager waist and helped him follow a guard that just arrived. Iroh and Toph followed them quickly, leaving Katara alone with Zuko and Aang. She felt herself anxiously grip her left elbow with her right hand and bite her bottom lip before smiling at both of the boys and swiftly following the rest of the group. She heard a quiet exchange in between them as she walked away, then felt a heated stare on the back of her neck. When she turned around to spare a glance, she saw that both of them were following her. And they both smiled at her in the same manner.

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The battle worn group had finished their meal relatively quickly, Katara not eating at all except a nibble on a cookie and a cup or two of tea, and had been escorted to their rooms before the sun had even risen. Dawn was probably about an hour or two away, and she knew that they wouldn't be seeing it at all that morning. Something in her blood tingled, just like it would before a heavy storm, and she could feel in her bones that it was a big one.

Katara went to her room after bidding everyone goodbye. Her eyes had locked with Aang's before she left and she could see he wanted to talk, but she dismissed it almost immediately and practically fled to the wing that housed her and Zuko's rooms. As soon as her door closed, she climbed under her covers and laid in her bed as if she was trying to go back to sleep. But it evaded her just as much as it did when she first woke up a few hours prior. Her mind was swarmed with the thoughts of what had transpired that evening; her almost kiss with Zuko, Aang arriving and staring at her expectantly and longingly like he always did, and the fleeting glances she shared with the almost Fire Lord and her contemplation on what they were really going to discuss when they finally got some privacy.

She knew this was going to be complicated, no matter how one would look at it.

Aang was in love with her, he had been for a long time. Everyone knew. He was wanting to be with her, as he had expressed so adamantly _(and forcefully)_ just a little over a week before. And, just like she had stated on the night of the play, she was still confused about the matter. Yet her reasoning wasn't the same now as it was then. Even when he had kissed her before the invasion, it was surprising and she was completely caught unawares. And reasonably so. He sprung it on her in the middle of a conversation right before he took off to find Ozai. And she didn't have the heart to reject him after the failed attack on the Fire Nation, so she kept her mouth shut.

And then Zuko came along.

She would have been in utter denial to say that the firebender didn't intrigue her from the moment they met, even during the times that her anger towards him outweighed any civility she could have extended his way. In the days following their little 'field trip', she found herself becoming more and more drawn to him; their dynamic relationship taking steady and tremendous bounds towards something more than friendship. Their interactions became more frequent, sometimes the space between them just centimeters from being inappropriate, and more solitary. His hands would sometimes unconsciously linger when they sparred, his eyes stuck on her like golden magnets.

It's not like she didn't like them, either.

His touch was hot, his stares even hotter. His fingers would unknowingly sear her skin in ways she though unimaginable, sent sparks through her body like lightning. Just like the lightning that he leaped in front of to protect her. Just like the lightning that was cracking overhead now, tearing opening the sky and starting the onslaught of rain that came with Fire Nation autumn storms. Cold rain that pelted every inch of exposed land and unrelentingly drilled into a her skin.

So similar to the storm in her heart.

If Aang hadn't kissed her during the play, if she had expressed her complete confusion as to what they were, then she wouldn't be feeling this pull and tug on her insides like it was _her _that did something wrong. Her confusion was rooted from her new, and incredibly deep, infatuation with the Prince, and partly from her guilt of the whole situation regarding it.

She almost felt she _owed_ Aang her affections. He _was _the Avatar, the savior of the world. He had given her the light of hope in a world of darkness and loss. He had given her the chance to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a waterbending master and help save the people of the world. He was one of her best friends. He had opened her eyes to new possibilities.

But so had Zuko.

He had shown her that the world wasn't black and white, like Aang thought it was, and that the gray areas run more rampant than the black and white. He had given her the support of a good friend, even when she didn't deserve it, and gave her the option of making her own decision when it came to her mother's killer. Not like Aang had. Zuko treated her like she was her own person, like she was his equal. His touches were never unwarranted, never unwelcome or forceful or surprising. In fact, they were always a relieving comfort she would seek. And he never looked at her like she was an object, a prize to be won.

And yet when these things went through her mind, she couldn't help but feel that she was comparing apples and oranges. There really was no proper way to do it.

A bitter groan left her lips and she sat up, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands, and leaned over to light her lone candle with a match. But as she searched the drawer of the nightstand, she grudgingly realized she had used the last one earlier that night. Sighing in disgruntled frustration, Katara plopped herself back down on her plush mattress, pillows concaving around her head like a cocoon.

Another crack of lightning lit up her room momentarily, causing her to flinch and spitefully remember again why she had woken up so late that night. Why she had lit that candle in the first place and use her last match. Why she had left her room to roam the palace and find solace in Zuko's private garden. What had unintentionally brought her to Zuko and sparked their almost kiss.

She pulled her pillow against the sides of her face, turned and moaned into it with defeat, then screwed her eyes shut. They just ran in a full circle, her thoughts. And she hated it. Because she couldn't make up her mind.

There was a knock on her door and Katara's eyes snapped open. She paused for a moment, contemplating whether or not if she should actually go open it and find out who was there so early in the morning. Especially since her friends had all gone to bed a while ago for some well-deserved rest after getting a filling meal in their stomachs. Even she had gone to her room to attempt to fall back asleep, so far unsuccessfully. Whoever had knocked, however, didn't wait for her to answer. The door swung open, illuminating the ceiling above her, and closed just as fast, bringing her world back into darkness.

She sat up and blinked a few times, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the dark. Even in the dim lighting of pre-dawn, darkened by the storm, she could only see a hazy silhouette approaching her bed cautiously. Instinct told her to prepare to fight and claw at the strange intruder, but logic told her that this person knocked. Obviously if they were there to harm her, they wouldn't have knocked. Most likely.

Tentatively, she whispered out, "Hello?"

"I couldn't go back to sleep..."

Her shoulders relaxed as soon as the first word left his lips. That so familiar rasp reached her at an unsteady timbre, an uncertain quality as it tumbled off his tongue, and she felt she subconsciously knew exactly why he couldn't fall back to sleep, like her.

She saw him sit on her bed, near her feet, and he balled his hands in his lap. Even in the dim light, she saw him open his mouth and attempt to speak when another crackle of lightning lit up the room and the resounding thunder shook the entire the palace. In the quick flash of light, she could see his eyes go wide with fear and his whole body freeze like he was being bloodbended, before his eyes smashed shut and his lips pulled into a tight line.

It was at that second that she knew why he couldn't go back to sleep, firebender or not. He was scared of the storm.

On a normal day, she would have teased him relentlessly about it. But knowing exactly why he was afraid brought her compassionate nature to the forefront of her mind. Without a word, she scooted down her bed so they were sitting in front of each other and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She felt him tremble in her grip and hold his breath to calm himself. She could feel him fighting the fear, his impeccable willpower trying to take control and rein in himself.

For a few moments of his internal fighting, Katara listened to the sound of his forcefully deep and steadying breathing and the pattering of the rain on her windows. She was about to pull away and inquire whether or not he was okay, but another crack of lightning and thunder rolled by and he literally jumped in her grip and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. His face was buried in the crook of her neck and shoulder, and she could have sworn she heard him softly whimpering against her skin.

For some reason, in this moment Katara's mind couldn't help but go to when she would hold Aang in a similar manner when he was afraid. But when she held the young airbender, it just felt so much more different than when she held the firebender now. When Aang was in her arms and was full of fear, it was his own terror or personal strife that would bring him to her for comfort. Like a child going to his mother in search of safety.

But when Zuko wrapped his arms around her back and squeezed her tightly, she felt it wasn't for his own well-being. Reason and her gut told her it was because of the fear he admitted to her by the turtleduck pond. He was afraid for her, afraid that he wasn't able to save her. And when the lightning struck it just reminded him over and over of that fear of losing her because his own weakness. He was holding onto her because he was afraid of losing her.

That epiphany made her hold him even tighter, just to reassure him that she was still there.

They sat in silence for what felt like hours, until Zuko's breathing had calmed and he was no longer shaking like a leaf in the wind. Yet, Katara still felt the need to hold him. Even if it was just for a little bit longer. She felt he owed him that much, and maybe for her _own_ well-being, as well. His arms around her were a welcome comfort, releasing something within her that almost seemed like it had been dormant for a long time. It eased her own frayed nerves, calmed her frantic thoughts and reminded her of that washing relief she felt when he had thanked her for saving him.

Zuko sniffed and nuzzled his face closer to her neck and mumbled against her skin, "I'm sorry I did that..."

She shook her head, ignoring the shiver that went through her body when his breath fanned against her skin. She leaned into him, running her hands through the shaggy hair at the nape of his neck. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"I shouldn't have assumed you were awake like I was," he insisted softly, hesitantly loosening his grip around her waist, "and it was wrong of me to come into your room. It was improper and-"

"Zuko, you're fine," she murmured as she continued to play with his hair and rub his back. "I was awake, anyway. I was trying to find a match to light my candle. But I used the last one earlier."

One of Zuko's arms left her waist and she saw the room had suddenly been slightly illuminated by the candle on the nightstand. Now she could see the reds and golds of his robe, and the outline of his sinewy back. In the light, she finally noticed that he was practically in her lap. Fighting a blush, she mumbled a soft 'thank you' and continued to rub his back in soothing circles. His grip around her had slackened considerably since he calmed down, yet he kept his face buried in her neck. This simple gesture was enough to send flutters into her heart and tingles to her fingertips, sparks to her lips and warmth to her belly.

"I wanted to thank you," he finally said quietly, his breath brushing against her exposed collarbone and his lips ghosting over her skin again.

It made her stomach flip in place and her throat to constrict. "What for?"

There was a pause, but he responded with a thick and choked tone, "For being awake."

Katara lowered her hand from his head but kept it draped over his shoulder. She thought at first his comment was a failed attempt at a joke, based on his tone and the way he almost stealthily pulled her waist closer to him. Almost. "Is that really what you wanted to thank me for?"

He shook his head.

"Then what?"

Slowly, almost glacier-like, he leaned back and looked up into her eyes. His gaze froze her in her spot, stopped her heart. It was that same look he gave her in the garden, the same smoldering and intense stare that halted her breath and caused her stomach to shrink in on itself in anticipation and curiosity. It didn't help that the fire from the candle behind her reflected in his already too-gold and mismatched eyes, making her heart beat in a frenzy and for her brain to bang on her temples like a drum. Telling her to do something, to take his parted pink lips in between her own and save herself from the sound of madness within her own body. Claiming him would be the only rest to the frantic movement of her insides and the pooling of something sensational in the pit of her stomach. It was inquisitive, it was wanting, longing.

It was thirst.

And his answer was just as silent as his stare. Because his lips were too busy pressing themselves to hers.

* * *

_tbc_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

_**RATING HAS BEEN CHANGED TO "M".**_

_**A/N **this chapter covers 4 of the 7 prompts for the third week of ZK Month (__**pieces, vague, shiver, ripple**)_. There's **smut **in this chapter, fyi. Just in the first section, so if you feel the need to skip it... Go ahead.

* * *

His lips were hot and soft, supple against hers. It didn't take long for her to become putty in his hands, which were still cupping the sides of her face and pulling her even closer to her than she thought possible. He tasted like the juice they were served at their early 'breakfast' and something else that was distinctly and most certainly _Zuko. _It was intoxicating, dizzying, and she was thankful that his hands held her in place like an anchor. If they didn't, she was sure she would have floated up into the air.

She breathed him in, clinging onto him like her life depended on it. He was what she needed, what she desired in every way possible. Her mind thrummed with the possibilities of what this all meant, why one of his hands was now roaming down the curve of her back and settling right above her rear. Why the other held the back of her head and tilted it up, just so he could settle closer and press his chest against hers.

This was definitely unlike any of the times Aang kissed her. She had been caught off guard this time, too, but the way Zuko's seemingly experienced lips caressed hers, how his deft hands roamed her body, and how his heated breath fanned against her face told her that this kiss was _anything_ but innocent. And the thought made lust buzz through her veins like some type of scorching disease. She couldn't stop herself from moaning softly against his lips.

Zuko pulled away slowly, hands still holding her delicately yet tightly against his chest, and his eyes fluttered open to lock onto hers. He looked at a loss for words, like he didn't expect such a reaction from her. Like he didn't expect her to respond so enthusiastically to his touch.

"I..."

Grinning, Katara grabbed the back of his head and brought him back towards her face. "Just shut up."

He smirked at her response and leaned over her as he kissed her again, pushing her body back down onto her bed. Her head didn't hit the pillow, she realized, because his hand was right behind it and cradled its fall. She smiled into his mouth when she figured that out, and he responded with a smile of his own. He had settled himself in between her legs, nestling a warm hardness right against her center. Surprisingly, her body sung at the strange, new contact. Pulled tight like a lute string.

His mouth was torrid, tongue skilled in coaxing out a new confidence in her that seemed to add to Zuko's enthusiasm. He pressed himself against her, grinding her deeper into the bed and higher on the climb towards some unknown destination. Her moans were silenced with his lips, every sensitive part of her body caressed through her bindings until it felt like every nerve under her skin was on fire.

Their clothing was shed in between their languid kisses, hands roaming the planes of each others' bodies until they were flushed and panting. When she was completely naked underneath him, her legs quivering as they clenched against his bony hips, his lips finally began their descent towards her chest. Her nails bit into his back, she arched into him, inadvertently pressing her womanhood against him and slicking up his erection.

Zuko groaned into her chest, something that sounded vulnerable and feral to Katara, and pushed his hips towards her. He began grinding himself against her wetness as he suckled her nipples and massaged the weighty undersides her breasts, letting go of throaty gasps every time she rotated and thrust up against him.

"Fuck," he hissed after letting go of her nipple and resting his forehead against her sternum. He braced his arms outside of hers, his hips still swirling against hers in something that she could only peg as on the verge lacking self-control. His body quaked, felt hot to the touch. Her own self-control was spiraling towards nonexistence.

She knew the consequences of their desires, if they were to be pursued. She would be stupid not to be wary of the road they were travelling. But when he lifted his head and locked his eyes on her, a sliver of gold overwhelmed with lust, she disregarded all of those thoughts immediately and reached down to grip the base of his arousal.

His helpless and surprised gasp was enough to unravel her, let her succumb to what her body was begging for.

Leading him to her opening, she braced herself for the pain she would inevitably come. But as he pushed himself in, much too slow for her tastes, all she felt was a slight discomfort and a stretching sensation before he settled himself at the mouth of her womb. All of the air seemed to be sucked out of her lungs when he began to move out, sparks spreading out from where they were joined and shooting to her fingertips and toes.

The lightning outside seemed to crash when he thrust his hips back into hers, almost like a crescendo in the symphony of their love making. Either it was her imagination or Zuko didn't notice the sounds of the weather outside, because he continued to slowly glide himself in and out of her, teeth grazing the skin of her neck and his heated breath practically burning her.

The scraping of his skin against hers, the sounds of him coming apart at the seams, the way his hands gripped her body so close to his as they trembled under his weight... In the back of her mind, she thought how this type of exertion wouldn't be good for the wound on his chest, but her lust-clouded thoughts said she would just heal it if he did hurt himself again. Right now, she was too busy appreciating the feeling of her body shivering with every single one of his touches, mold to him with every kiss, and feel as if it was about to rip open when he began moving faster. Her fingers clawed at his shoulders, feeling every muscle flex under her touch. He was slick with sweat, she most likely was as well. She avoided the bandages still wrapped around the center of his torso and went down to his ass, gripping it tightly when he sped up even more. This just spurred him on even more.

It almost came as a shock, her orgasm. But when it did, it felt like the whole lower half of her body was a liquid set on fire, a rippling tide with flames dancing on top. The room felt like it had heated up, brightening along with her climax. Her scream was muffled with his mouth, where he bit on her lip to try and silence his own groans and curses.

They laid together, him still on top of her, the inferno in their minds slowly fading into a slow burning ember. Katara's breathing began calming, and she had to struggle to open her eyes to see that Zuko was still pressing his face into her neck, smiling softly against her skin. She could still feel his hot breaths fanning against her collarbone, faster than her own but slowly starting to settle.

"Zuko..."

He tightened his grip around her body and murmured, "Katara."

Her name slipping out of his mouth like that, so content and calm, caused her to shiver again. She reflexively wrapped her arms around him, careful to not pull him down where his wound was, and buried her face into his matted hair. She had no words, no way to express her gratitude and appreciation for his company. Suddenly she knew exactly what she had been feeling when it regarded this scarred prince. It was no longer up in the air and confusing her, not after he murmured her name the way he did. And she wanted to declare this new love for him that she was feeling, but words seemed to fail her.

The room was now washed in darkness again and she blearily looked over to see that her candle had burnt out, melted down to a stub. And it was just then that she felt her eyelids start to droop on their own accord. She was finally reaching that point of exhaustion that she had been working towards since she woke up that night. But Zuko was still here, and she wanted to tell him. She had to tell him.

"Zuko," she mumbled again, sleep deprivation lacing her voice.

He slowly pulled his hips away from her, sliding out with nothing more than a flinch, and rolled to lay at her side. He pulled her sheet over both of them and then brought her to his chest, brushing her hair away from her face before he kissed her gently on her temple. "Go to sleep, Katara."

"No," she moaned, barely fighting the welcome feeling of sleep as it climbed over her. "I need to tell you something..."

"And you can tell me after you get some rest," he whispered before he settled one hand on her hip, the other surrounding her shoulders. "Sleep, my love."_  
_

Like a command, she felt her eyes finally get heavy and the world go silent.

* * *

Katara woke later that day with a mix between of pure bliss and bitter realization. She was unfortunately alone, bed empty except her own naked body and the rumpled sheets tangled around her feet. She felt a flush of shame heat her face when she thought of the fact that she was blatantly nude, uncovered and out for the world to see. Hurriedly, she gripped the silk blankets and pulled them up over her chest. If someone had come in and seen her this way, her secret tryst with Zuko could have likely been discovered. She couldn't afford that.

Because no one ever sleeps in the nude, at least not in a room in someone else's home. But that was only her opinion on the matter.

Her mind swam of the events of earlier that morning, lingering on the new pieces of Zuko she hadn't known before, the way her heart swelled when he said her name on the breath of a whisper, and how his declarations for her fell off his lips like a prayer. Normally, she was accustomed to Zuko's differences. Mainly the ones revolving around his mannerisms and proprieties. Seeing him unravel and be so unabashed in front of her earlier was like a breath of fresh air.

She had always been fascinated with the hidden side of Zuko, the man behind closed doors. He was an enigma, a mystery to anyone and everyone. There were so many things about him she still didn't know, things she yearned to discover since he first lowered his shield to her.

There was a heavy knock on her door, followed by the familiar shout of Toph. "Get up, Sweetness! They're serving a late lunch and I don't want to get there after your brother gets all the meat!"

Katara groaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes and ignoring the dull discomforts that pulled throughout her body as she moved. "Go ahead without me. I need to wash up."

"Suit yourself. Don't say I didn't tell you so when you get down there and all that's left is rice and Twinkle Toes's veggie rolls!"

Her reply was just a lazy grunt as she pulled herself out of her bed. She winced when her legs practically collapsed underneath her, feeling like jelly supporting cement bricks. She braced herself on her nightstand and knocked over the stub of wax that used to be her candle, causing it to roll off and clamber onto the floor.

"You okay in there, Sweetness?"

Katara flushed and grimaced. She had thought Toph walked away already. Smoothing down her hair, and gritting her teeth when she snagged on a knot, she replied, "Y-yeah. I'm fine. Just lost my balance. I'll be down there in a few minutes, Toph. Don't wait up."

There was a muffled "Okay!" and she could hear the faint sounds of Toph's retreating feet. Katara went to the chair in the corner of her room, where the repaired clothes she wore on the day of the Agni Kai were neatly laid out. A maid had come in at some point in time during the past few days and taken the clothes she had worn since she arrived, all of them being Zuko's or Azula's hand-me-downs other than her one Water Tribe outfit. And now her normal clothes were nicely cleaned and pressed, something that made her smile with gratitude.

Sparing a glance out her window, Katara saw the rain had let up for now. The sky was still overcast, but nothing was falling from it for now. Yet it looked as if the rain would return in full force any second.

She padded over to the bathroom attached to her room and turned on the faucet, pulling the water out and swirling it around her body to clean off any sweat and other grime she accumulated since her bath the night prior. She had no time to take a real bath, with the realization her stomach was now growling uncontrollably. And knowing her brother, there wouldn't be enough food left for everyone if anyone didn't make it to the dining hall before him. If she didn't eat fast, she wouldn't eat.

Quickly, she dressed herself and managed to pull her hair into a simple twisted bun. It was the most she could do with the tangles left in the mass of curls. She slid her feet into a pair of slippers, yet again courtesy of Zuko, and left her room in a hurry. She also figured on her way down to the dining hall that if she showed up late, questions would be asked. And she really didn't have a cover story as to why she napped for so long and why her hair was in such disarray.

Katara entered the hall without much of a fuss, realizing she arrived just on time. Suki and Sokka hadn't arrived yet, but Toph and Aang were sitting across from each other, already digging into what appeared to be seaweed rolls and rice. Zuko was sitting at the head of the table, sipping on a cup of tea and eyes scanning a piece of parchment. Iroh was sitting on his left and kept pointing to different areas on the paper, adding commentary which would cause Zuko to nod and then take a bite of meat or sip from his cup.

When she approached the table, his golden eyes flickered up from the paper and he froze. A secretive, and frankly quite seductive and charming, smile made it's way onto his lips, causing her to blush and duck her head before she settled into her seat next to Toph, took the upside down bowl on her plate, and began placing some fish onto her plate and some soup into the bowl.

"Katara, you should try this!" Aang exclaimed as he held up what looked like a fried dumpling. "It's vegetarian!"

She offered him a kind smile and replied, "Of course, Aang."

Reaching over to pick one up with her chopsticks, her eyes flickered over to Zuko, who had been watching her ever since she walked in. He was still holding conversation with Iroh, but kept his gaze on her. She felt the need to get him to stop, to hiss at him and demand why he was staring. But that was all wiped away when he smirked at her then winked and looked back to his plate to pick up a dumpling of his own. She couldn't stop herself from flushing again before she shoveled a few bites of fish and rice into her mouth and busied herself with chewing.

She was feeling incredibly embarrassed, her mind worrying about the people at the table discovering what had transpired between her and Zuko that morning. She knew Toph would be completely indifferent. The blind girl never really cared about the affairs of others, unless they included her. Iroh would most likely rave about it. Which made Katara slightly uncomfortable. They had sex, they aren't dating or in love.

_Well you are. He might not be._

Sokka would be a tough one to convince, considering he was so incredibly protective of her. He would threaten Zuko, or actually hurt him if he knew that the firebender took her innocence. Suki would be like Toph, or maybe even Iroh. Her reaction was up in the air, honestly. Either way, she would probably be happy for Katara.

The biggest problem would be Aang. He would be distraught and heartbroken, possibly even angry at Zuko for taking her away from him. Internally, Katara fumed. She could see that happening, based on his reaction when Sokka even _mentioned _her kissing Jet back in Ba Sing Se. Aang had almost treated her like property, a trophy. And he probably felt she would run happily into his arms and remark on how amazing he was for saving the world.

_It wasn't like he did it on his own, _she growled internally before she shoved another bite of food into her mouth._  
_

There was a low chuckle from the head of the table and she snapped her gaze to it's owner, eyes resting on a mirthful looking Zuko. She glared at him before he swallowed and pointed at her with his chopsticks and remarked, while still laughing, "You have some rice on your cheek."

Hastily, she dragged the back of her wrist over her cheeks and saw a small about of rice fall into her lap. She could feel her ears tinging red with her increased embarrassment, and she was about to wring Zuko's neck after seeing the smug expression he shot her way. He was teasing her! He had the audacity to mock her like some child. She all but growled at him before returning her attention back to her plate.

Regardless of their standing since this morning, embarrassing her was not something she could stand for. Not right now.

The doors to the dining hall opened, revealing a disheveled-looking Sokka and a tidy Suki. Together they walked to the table, sitting next to Aang and across from Katara.

"G'morning everyone," Sokka yawned out as he flipped over the bowl on his plate and began serving himself. Suki smiled at everyone, murmuring a quiet "hello" before she sat and followed Sokka's lead.

"Sokka, it's after noon," Aang commented after swallowing a mouthful of fruit.

Her brother simply shrugged before stuffing his face. Conversations continued around the table, while Katara kept looking at her plate and picking through her food. She was in quite a predicament. It wasn't fair that her heart was so conflicted. Seeing how Aang was still glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes and continuously had tried to capture her attention, she realized her impending decision regarding what she was going to do now was going to be so much harder. Shouldn't she be able to make her own decisions about who she wanted to be with? If she even wanted to be with someone in the first place? Her worth shouldn't be defined by a man, regardless of how important that man is. She was important, too. She should be able to make a decision for herself, not to please one person or the masses.

"Earth to Sugar Queen! I asked you a question!"

She snapped her head up and saw that all eyes around the table were on her. "Huh?"

"I asked you what you planned to do now that the war is over," Toph humphed, obviously a little perturbed that Katara had ignored her.

Katara flickered her eyes around, gauging the reactions from her friends. Sokka was still chewing, but his expression spelled out indifference. Aang was looking at her expectantly, like he was trying to will her to say she would travel the world with him and be his girl. It was almost painful to watch. Her eyes then went to Zuko, who was staring at her with a straight face. Waiting.

She knew this expression. It was his mask. He wore this when he was consciously trying to not show any emotion, school his face of any traces of feelings. He had done that when he tied her to the tree by the river, he did it when they were in the cave under Ba Sing Se. And she had noticed he did it a lot while training Aang, most likely to refrain from snapping the airbender's neck. Though he was bad at it, she knew this mask was for when he tried his damnedest to not crack.

The only thing about this mask was that since his expressions were so easily conveyed with his eyes, the whole purpose of the mask was futile. He was a man that rarely wore his expressions on his sleeves, he showed them in his eyes. No matter how much he tried to be stoic and emotionless.

Katara could tell he wanted her to stay here with him, just by the way his eyes widened even more when she locked hers with them. His mouth was pressed in an anxious line and his tongue snaked out to lick his lower lip, a nervous tick she picked up on.

With a shrug, Katara broke the eye contact with Zuko and brought her gaze back to her plate. "I'm not sure. Depends where I'm needed."

She didn't miss the crestfallen looks on both Aang's and Zuko's faces, Aang's more obvious than Zuko's, out of the corner of her eye. She knew she was being vague, but there was no point in making plans when in all reality she had no idea what she wanted to do. Logic told her to go back to the Southern Water Tribe to see her family and to help with the rebuilding process, where she would definitely be needed. Yet her heart urged her to stay with Zuko in the Fire Nation to help him out. And so he could _help _her out, too.

And if she were to go with Aang, that would create a message she didn't want to send. Yes Aang was incredibly infatuated with her, actually more like madly in love with her. But unless she reciprocated those feelings, there was no point in travelling with him and giving him that false idea that she did. She had thought before that she possibly owed him her affections, but as she slyly looked to Zuko, who was looking back to the parchment and frowning with a slight pout, she knew it would be worse for everyone in the long run if she joined the airbender. Even if it was for purposes of maintaining peace.

But if she stayed with Zuko, what would she do here? Would she be an aid to him, possibly an ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe and help facilitate treaties between the countries? Or would she remain in the Fire Nation as the new Fire Lord's consort? They hadn't even brushed on courting, because they literally went into wordless confessions of feelings and then their romp in the sack.

Katara then gulped.

What if Zuko just wanted her here for that purpose? She couldn't stay here just to be his fuck-buddy, love for him be damned. She was more than a body for him to use, so if she were to stay it would be on her own terms that benefited her as well.

_But fucking Zuko every night would be beneficial to you, _a little voice in her head thought alluringly. _Who cares if that's all you're here for? You love him, and you'll get to be with him. That's all that should matter right?_

_No it isn't,_ she countered internally._ If I'm going to be doing these things with him, it better be for the right reasons. I still have some dignity._

Her head was swimming, this was almost too much. She needed to figure out what she wanted, because being fickle about her decision in general wasn't a good thing. She had to figure this out, and fast. Zuko's coronation was tomorrow at noon, then they were all going to travel to Ba Sing Se that night after the reception luncheon to meet with the Earth King and celebrate the end of the war at the Jasmine Dragon. She needed an answer by tomorrow night.

Because if she didn't, then she might make a mistake and choose the wrong one.

She swallowed the rest of her food and excused herself from the table, feigning a headache and exited the dining hall. But as she headed to the door, she could feel the hot stare of Zuko on her back.

* * *

"I'm guessing that the reason you bolted from lunch is that you're mad about something?"

Katara glanced up from the pond in front of her, eyes resting on the casually standing future Fire Lord. His arms were folded across his chest, shoulder resting against the sakura tree next to her. His hair was falling in his eyes and moving gently in the wind, his ankles were crossed and he was wearing a worried expression, his eyes flashing with a sort of panic. His mask had been taken off.

Turning back to the water, she shrugged again. "I don't know what I'm feeling, honestly."

She could hear a relieved sigh, then his approaching steps and felt his presence when he sat next to her, grass whispering when he slowly lowered himself. She heard a restrained groan pass his lips and she looked over to see him clutching his chest, eyes screwed shut and jaw clenched.

"Is that still bothering you?"

After a few moments of heavy breathing, his features relaxed and his eyes fluttered open. He glanced over to her and gave her the same secretive smile he had given her at lunch, causing her cheeks to heat, and he replied softly, "It was worth it."

She glowered at him for a moment, knowing the exact reasons why he had even said that. If someone had overheard that statement, they may have assumed it was because he believed jumping in front of the lightning to save her was worth it. While she knew that to be true, she also knew that he wasn't referring to that. He was referring to irritating and straining his wound this morning when they had sex.

Looking down to her lap, she had to stop herself from retorting with something that she probably didn't mean. Instead, she mumbled, "You need to watch what you say. Someone might misinterpret your intentions, Fire Lord."

"There's nothing to misinterpret." He paused for a moment before adding, almost to himself, "And I'm not Fire Lord, yet."

Sparing another glance at him, she saw he was just staring at the pond in front of him, hand resting absently on his abdomen right on top of his bandages. His hair was getting tousled by the wind, reminding her heavily of their conversation the night before. His face was tense with conflict, jaw taut and the muscles there ticking. Another habit she had recognized in the firebender.

"Zuko-"

"I know why you evaded Toph's question earlier."

She stared at him a little bit longer, waiting for him to continue with his reasoning. Continue with whatever reason he thought she was being vague about her plans. But he probably was wrong. Because even _she _didn't know. How could he know if she didn't? She wanted to open her mouth to counter his thoughts, but nothing came out. How could she defend something she couldn't even decide? Even when she tried to reply, he cut her off.

"You're ashamed about what we did," he mumbled, his gaze dropping to his lap. The way his voice cracked at the end of his statement broke her. He was so wrong, so wrong in so many ways. How could he even think of that? That was absurd, totally incorrect, and he was just looking like a kicked puppy.

"I-no!" she practically squeaked. He didn't even look up when she responded. Instead he looked away from her, jaw tighter than she's ever seen and his shoulders almost up to his ears. He looked as if he was definitely thinking that was how she was feeling. She rolled onto her knees and crawled so she was kneeling in front of him. She took his hands within her own and added, "Zuko, I could never be ashamed of that... It's just-"

Without turning towards her he interrupted, "It's just you don't want our friends to know. And you regret it, so you're going to leave with Aang once we're done with the negotiations in Ba Sing Se because you think he deserves you more than I-"

"Shut up," she snapped. That caught his attention enough where his head whirled back to glare at her. His golden eyes looked as if they were on fire, about to spark her up, too. Instead of flinching under his stare, she steeled herself and stated, "I'm not going to go with Aang." His expression didn't change. "In fact, I have no idea what I'm going to do. I've been torn up about what I'm going to do since I woke up... And I don't know why."

His face softened when he replied simply, as if it was the most obvious solution, "Why don't you stay with me?"

Katara looked away and felt herself gnaw at her lower lip. She knew he would ask, as soon as they were alone again. But she still didn't have an answer. In a small voice, she asked, "What would I do here?"

"Be with me."

"Is that it?"

"Shouldn't that be enough?"

Their eyes locked and she felt like her heart just shattered. He looked and sounded so broken, so defeated. She hasn't even answered him yet he already felt like she was telling him 'no'.

_You aren't telling him 'yes', _that small voice in her head cooed. _You know how this goes. You're not going to say 'yes' because you don't want to be pegged as the Fire Lord's girlfriend, like how you don't want to be labeled as the Avatar's girl. You don't want to be subjugated to being the mother of his children, of the heirs to his throne, and be practically forgotten as a person. You're more than a prize, you are more than someone's girl. You are Katara, Master Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. You will not be forgotten as that, only known in history as either the Fire Lady or the girl who shagged the Fire Lord._

She looked away, unable to continue staring at the face of a breaking man. Nothing tore at her more than the distraught look on his face. Not even the rejection on Aang's face after he kissed her on Ember Island and she pushed him away. This pained her more than she could bear.

"Zuko," she began, eyes starting to water as she slid her hands out of his. "You know I can't just stay here just to be here. I need to do something that helps others. I want to help keep the peace, I want to go back home and see my family and my home and-"

"Stop," he said softly, but still in that commanding voice instilled with him since birth. She slowly turned back to him and he was frowning. "I never said that you wouldn't be able to do these things."

"Who said you were the one to decide what I can and can't do?" she snapped, causing Zuko to flinch and scowl deeper, then added in a less harsh tone, "I want to be my own person before I am someone else's, Zuko."

His expression softened. "And I never said that you wouldn't be. I just want you to be with me."

"What would Aang think?" she muttered, looking away again. She was reaching, because she didn't know what to do. She was still searching for reasons to stay, reasons to go, reasons to be with him or not.

"Why would his opinion matter?" Zuko growled, voice sounding angrier as he kept speaking. "Yeah, the kid's got a crush on you. But that doesn't mean you're obligated to fall in love with him because _he_ believes so. No one falls in love once, and _no one_ is a prize to be won. And he definitely doesn't deserve you just because he accomplished something that should have been done a century ago.

"Katara, I agree that you need to be your own person. And I agree that you should be able to do your own thing now that the war is over. But you shouldn't throw Aang's crush on you as a reason why you wouldn't want to be with _me. _It's completely unrelated."

"Do _you _think I'm a prize to be won?" The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself. And when she looked back to Zuko, she could see his surprise by the question, as well.

His brow furrowed and he said brusquely, "Of course not! I want to be with you because I want _you. _I want to spend every spare minute with you because I can't bear the thought of being away from you. You're my best friend. And I hate thinking about the day I'm going to have to say goodbye to you, even though I know it's inevitable."

Katara's heart leaped into her throat and she had to look away from his piercing gaze. "So you want me to stay here because you don't want me to leave you?"

"Yes- No!" He growled and gripped his hair within his hands. "I just don't... I don't want to miss out on a chance with you because I let you get away... I don't want you around just so we can fuck any time I want-" she flinched at his choice of words. "-and I don't want you to be here and just roam the halls like you have been since we got here a week ago. I want you to be here because I want to do this right."

"And what is this?" she heard herself say.

Zuko peaked at her through his bangs and sighed before he took her hands out of her lap and rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles. "Us. This thing between you and me. Whatever we are. I want to start this right, even though we sort of jumped the gun this morning. I... I want you to be with me. If I didn't make myself clear earlier."

There was a clap of thunder and Zuko barely even jumped, still keeping his eyes on her. Even as the rain started to slowly drop to the ground, hitting the tops of their heads, his eyes were locked on hers. Her mouth was set in a thin line, chin quivering in the tears she knew were about to come. With this admission, and the way her heart felt like it was shattering into pieces with her multiple possible decisions and routes to take, Katara was about to break. She wanted to stay, she truly did. But after he said these things to her, after they had hashed it out just now, something told her she needed to go home with her father and brother, spend some time in the South Pole with her Gran-Gran and help Pakku with the rebuilding of her tribe. Be away from him and figure out what she really wanted. Have some time for herself for once.

It was a realization that she needed.

No matter how badly she wanted to stay here with Zuko, no matter how much her heart was yearning to be in his arms as much as she could possibly could, she knew deep down where she needed to be. And just as the sky opened up and began it's downpour on the two benders, Katara leaned forward and gave Zuko a chaste kiss on the lips before she stood and said over the sound of the rain, "I know you do. And I know I want to, as well. But I need to go back home with my family..." She choked on her words, tears now falling down her face as she looked at Zuko's absolutely heartbroken face, and stepped away. "And if you respect me, you'll let me do this."

She didn't even stay to hear his answer, because she turned on her heel and walked back to the inside of the palace.

* * *

_tbc_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

_**A/N **this chapter will cover 3 of the 7 prompts from the third week of ZK Month (__**switch, treasure, disaster**)._

___Anything that happens in the show that I'm not changing, I'll just gloss over it._

___I do want to say that appreciate every single review I get. I could never dislike/hate someone for taking the time to give me their two cents about my story and I take everything said to heart, in the good way. And to be honest, I love hearing what you guys have to say. I changed my writing style for this story so whatever feedback I get is well-received. Trust me, I would reply to everyone's reviews if I had the time and thank you all personally. But time is never on my side, so this is honestly the best I can do. I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story so far, and I hope you all like what's in store. There's just one chapter after this one, so stick around!_

* * *

Her room was cold.

She was, too.

And it had nothing to do with the rain water soaking her to the bone, puddling at her feet while she stood in the center of the room. She didn't even bother to bend it away because she felt so empty, so cold. Her heart felt like icicles had crystallized around it, freezing it to just a block of ice.

Why did she just do that? Was she an idiot?

_No. You're doing what you think is best for you. And right now, you need to go home and take some time for yourself._

With a heavy sigh, she dragged her hands over her body, taking the rain water with it, and tossed it towards the basin in her bathroom. She stood there for another long moment, staring at her bed with empty eyes. The last time she was there... was after she and Zuko had been together. If she had her way, she'd just crawl under those luxurious covers and hide away until she could go back home. Miss the coronation, miss the celebration in Ba Sing Se... Just go straight to the South Pole and stay there for as long as her heart desired.

She needed to. She couldn't face him now.

So she pulled her tunic off and climbed under her duvet, willing herself to close her eyes and shrink away from the world. Just as a crash of thunder shook the palace, a lone tear escaped her eye and fell onto her pillow.

* * *

Katara woke in the middle of the night, her room washed in darkness, with an empty stomach and a headache. She realized she had cried herself to sleep without getting dinner. She remembered waking up at some point in time to the sound of someone knocking on her door and calling for her to come down, but she ignored them, forcing herself to close her eyes and go back to sleep. She didn't want to face any of them. She just wanted to curl into a ball and ignore them all. She was ashamed, not because of her tryst with Zuko, but because she knew she couldn't keep a straight face around them.

Not now. Not with what she just did to the future Fire Lord. Not after she broke his heart.

She had been crying for hours because of how she rejected him in the garden, how his face fell in complete heartbreak. How she ran away like a coward. And she knew the second she laid eyes on him again, she would certainly break down like she had when she got into her bed.

She was certainly a horrible person.

_How are you a horrible person for picking yourself over someone else? You've never done that before. There has to be a first time for everything._

_But should that really come at the price of breaking Zuko's heart?_

_No, but maybe he needs to realize that you two are separate people that need to lead separate lives for a while. It's not like you're his girlfriend or anything. You have the right to choose what you want. _

Katara groaned into her hands and rolled out of bed, flinching at the tightness in her legs like she had that afternoon. She stood, popping her joints as she did, and went to grab her tunic. She threw it over her bindings and leggings before she left her room to scavenge for some food. She thought to herself that there was bound to be some in the kitchen.

And hopefully she wouldn't run into anyone she knew on the way there.

Silently, she crept through the halls and down the stairs to the main level kitchens. The corridors were dark, and almost completely silent. There were a few servants passing her with heads bowed, carrying loads of what appeared to be fabric towards the banquet hall. Katara guessed that they were already preparing for the celebration for Zuko's coronation in the morning.

She found her way to the kitchens, sliding through the door and closing it quietly behind her. There were three other people that she could see, one man wit his back to her working on making some noodles while the other two were in the corner conversing over a piece of parchment. She had recognized the two as Ming-Na, the head chef, and Zen, her assistant. Or whatever his title was.

It sounded like they were going over the last of the menu plans for the banquet. As soon as the door shut, they both looked up from the paper, smiled at her, and then went back to what they had been doing. Luckily since the day she and Zuko arrived, she was welcomed in the kitchen with open arms. Especially since she usually was the one who came down to fetch some food for the Prince or to make herself a small meal, helping out whatever staff was left and complementing them heavily on their hard work. Her kindness apparently made an impact.

Reaching into what one of the chefs called the refrigerator, she snagged a couple fruits and a container of what looked like rice pudding. After putting them on a plate, she silently exited and made her way back to her room. When she rounded the corner, she spotted the door to Zuko's office at the end of the hall. And a light was peaking from underneath the bottom of the door.

Something inside of her yearned to go to the door and sneak in. She knew it was Zuko in there, most likely by himself, going over the last minute preparations for his coronation in the morning. Tomorrow was his big day. And his nerves would definitely be strained, especially with the oncoming pressures of becoming Fire Lord.

But also because of her awful timing.

How would she feel if she were in his position? If they had switched roles and he had rejected her right before one of the most important days of her life?

She would be distraught. She would be sorrowful. She would be depressed.

And the very thought made Katara feel like an even more awful person now.

So instead of going to the door, she turned the corner and went to the stairs that led up to her room.

* * *

The coronation plaza was crowded, filled from end to end with people from each of the existing nations for the first time in one hundred years. An eerie feeling crept over Katara when she realized that these people were standing where Zuko's blood had stained the stone, where scorch marks from the battle between brother and sister still scarred the ground. Ignorance was bliss to them.

She stood in the front of the crowd with her brother, father, and friends, waiting for the arrival of the soon-to-be Fire Lord. Her one-time lover, her always-friend. Excitement for today was filling her, but she couldn't help it when she felt a horrible wave of anxiety wash over her when a Fire Sage began hitting the gong, announcing Zuko's entrance into the plaza.

He was dressed in a floor-length robe, the traditional regalia of the Fire Lord, and his hair was pulled back into a tight top knot. He looked determined, fierce, and his whole appearance screamed '_leader'_. He had said something over the cheering crowd about the Avatar, and Aang stepped out from behind the same curtain Zuko stepped through just moments before.

And during Zuko's speech, Katara couldn't help but feel pride for him. He had come all this way, struggled and fought tooth and nail to get to where he was now. And the peace he was standing for was going to be fought for just as hard. This was something that she knew he would treasure for his entire life. And she would, too.

Inwardly, she was not looking forward to having to see him later. She was absolutely not looking forward to having to fly to Ba Sing Se with him on the back of Appa. And she was really wanting to take him in her arms and hold him as tightly as she could.

When his eyes met hers after he rose from his knees, the Fire Lord's crown of golden flames secured in his top knot, a feeling of dread sank into the pit of her stomach like she had swallowed a handful of rocks. There was a flash of something pained in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came. Instead of succumbing to the worry in her heart, she smiled warmly at him and tried to relay her gratitude and pride to him. It was something he deserved, no matter what.

And after a few _(agonizing)_ seconds, he returned the smile.

* * *

The ride to Ba Sing Se was long, tedious, and Katara felt like her skin was crawling the entire time. Every single time Aang shot her some puppy dog eyes and started conversation from Appa's head, every time Zuko glanced at her from underneath his hair, every time Sokka obnoxiously asked her why she was being so quiet and uptight... She just wanted to crawl underneath a rock and hide until the end of time. Perhaps Toph could help her out with that.

In the small space of Appa's saddle, there was no room for her comfort.

And when they were flying over the outer wall of the Earth Kingdom capital, her discomfort increased tenfold with another one of Sokka's questions. But this one wasn't directed at her.

"Hey, Fire Lord!" he called out, causing everyone to look up. He grinned and waggled one of his eyebrows before asking, "So I saw Dark and Gloomy go to your room before your coronation. Are you guys back together or something? Tell us everything!"

Katara bristled, her ears heating and her heart beginning to palpitate heavily in her chest. The dread in her gut returned and she whirled her head around so she could look down the Fire Lord, hopefully to find out that Sokka was severely mistaken. But something in Zuko's eyes didn't reassure her in the least. He had a girlfriend? Dark and Gloomy? Wasn't that the knife thrower friend of Azula? What was going on? What did he keep from her?

She then saw Zuko stiffen as well, before he schooled his features and shrugged. "There's nothing to tell. She came to see if I needed help, I told her no, and she went on her way. She's just a friend, Sokka."

He hadn't looked at her once when he explained himself, but she could feel her shoulders relax and a heavy breath escape her lips. It was then that he glanced up, a silent apology in his eyes, and he looked back to her brother.

"Besides, I have more important things to worry about than having a girlfriend."

* * *

They arrived in Ba Sing Se late in the afternoon the next day, for Appa had flown with haste, and they landed right in the courtyard of the Earth King's palace. After cleaning up, they had a negotiation meeting with King Kuei regarding the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom. When that was over, the group headed over to Iroh's tea shop, the Jasmine Dragon, to kick off their _"end of the war celebrations"_. They drank tea, joked, played Pai Sho... It was a blissful way to start the night of festivities.

It was overwhelming, in the good way. This was what they all wanted. Members of all the nations, together in harmony and celebrating the end of a tyrannical rule and a horrible war. Spirits were high, smiles were wide. It was perfect.

Deciding she needed some fresh air, Katara excused herself to the balcony that overlooked the city. She had been staring at the sunset for just a few moments when she felt a presence at her side. Turning, she saw Aang standing at her side, smiling warmly and a faint blush dusting his cheeks. Her stomach dropped and a feeling of foreboding washed over her. Eyes darted inside and she immediately spotted Zuko, talking with Sokka animatedly about the picture her brother had just drawn. He probably didn't notice her walking out to the balcony, or chose to ignore her. Either way, Aang had seen her. And now she was trapped.

"We did it," he said casually, smiling.

Nodding and smiling as well, she replied, "Yeah, we did."

Forgetting the dread she felt before, happiness came over her and she knew this was the best time for a celebratory hug. The war was over, negotiations for peace were underway, and balance was going to be returned to the world. It was something they both had worked hard for, something everyone inside had worked for, too. Now they could finally celebrate, in the right way.

She wrapped her arms over his shoulders, smiling widely like he was. She felt happy and content in that moment.

But there was something missing from this hug.

And when Aang pulled away, looking in her eyes with that same puppy dog longing stare, she knew what it was. Then he was leaning in, eyes lidded and lips slightly parted. This was wrong, watching him lean towards her like he had finally won and he was claiming her. It was a childish notion, thinking that she would fall into his arms like the damsel in distress would in a romance scroll. Like she was already his from the second he laid eyes on her.

Just as his lips almost touched hers, she backed away with a hiss, "What are you doing?"

He looked flabbergasted, shocked. Seeing her almost-revulsion as confusion, he tightened his grip around her waist and said, "Well, Katara, the war is over... And we can be together."

She narrowed her eyes, trying to back out of his arms. "Who says that's what I want?"

Aang looked taken aback. "But you said on Ember Island-"

"What I said on Ember Island was that I was confused and that we had more important things to worry about," she said, taking his distraction to pull out of his grasp entirely. She put her hands on her waist and added, "I never said I would be your girlfriend as soon as you defeated Ozai."

"But... but I thought we were going to be together..."

The sound of pure pain in his voice shook her, reminding her of Zuko when she rejected him just two days prior. She couldn't help it when the mothering side of her came out, voice filled with pity, "Aang, it's not you, I swear. It's just-"

"Is there someone else?"

Her surprise at his sudden intuitiveness _(or sheer luck) _overshadowed her anger about the resentful tone in his voice. She quickly schooled herself before she spat out anything that could reveal her feelings of the firebender inside. Instead, she crossed her arms and replied, "No, there's not. In fact, this isn't about me being with anyone. I've decided that I'm going to go back to the South Pole and help with the rebuilding of my tribe. I'm needed more there than anywhere else."

"_I _need you!" he all but pleaded. Taking her hands and pulling them from her chest, he held them in between his and continued, "I've already planned it out for us. You and I can travel the world together! We can go from town to town, spreading the word of the war ending. I can show you all those things I wanted to do when you first got me out of the iceberg. You're my forever girl, Katara. You're supposed to be with me."

Her eyes widened before narrowing to slits. She tore her hands from his grip and scowled. "You already_ 'planned it out'_? How dare you! You can't just decide my future like that! I'm not a prize to be won, Aang!"

"I never said that!" he practically whined, looking as if he was about to stomp his foot like a petulant child. "I just don't see why you want to go to the South Pole when-"

"Why should you care so much?" she all but shouted. He cringed away from her tone and she knew everyone inside the Jasmine Dragon could hear their argument now, but she ignored them all and continued, "Why can't I just do something for _myself _for once? I haven't been home in almost a year, Aang! And ever since I got caught up in the consequences of the war when my mom died, all I've done is take care of everyone else and barely worry about myself. I just want to do something _I _want to do instead of what someone else wants or expects me to!"

He looked like a fish out of water, mouth opening and closing on words he couldn't comprehend. So instead of waiting around, and possibly comforting him like she always did when he go upset, she spat, "I'm going for a walk." She walked past him, feeling him start to go where she was heading, then she turned and glared at him. "And _don't _follow me."

She went back inside the Jasmine Dragon and drank the rest of her tea in a quick gulp before telling her friends that she was going to get some fresh air. She brushed past them all, eyes spotting Zuko staring at her with worry, and exited the building.

She didn't even know where she was going to go. She was just looking for somewhere that had water.

* * *

The fountain calmed her, seeing how the water spouted out and up into the air. The fire lanterns had an added affect, making the water glisten and flow in the air like something from a dream. She didn't expect it to touch her so, but the way the fire reflected against the water just reminded her of a more peaceful bond between the two opposite elements. Something her heart could somewhat relate to.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Katara turned her head to the familiar voice, seeing the statuesque figure of the new Fire Lord standing near the entrance of the courtyard. She ignored the pang of guilt in her stomach and turned back to the water of the fountain and ran her fingers through it, leaving ripples in their wake. She could hear him approach and sit next to her, casual as if there wasn't any tension between them. As if she hadn't broke his heart just two days ago.

"You must have been here before if you knew how to find me. It took me a while to find it."

His answer was a soft chuckle before he ran his fingers in the water, as well, near hers. But never touching. "I was brought here on a date back when Uncle and I were refugees... I lit all of the lanterns for her with my firebending because they were out when we got here."

"That was reckless of you," she murmured, absently pulling out some of the water and weaving it around her fingers. "You could have been caught."

"When have I ever _not _been reckless?"

By his tone, she could tell he wasn't talking about the date with the random girl. Something about it hinted at what she was trying her hardest to avoid thinking about for the time being. Katara dropped the water back into the fountain and looked up, locking her eyes on him for the first time since she left the Jasmine Dragon. On the outside he looked at ease, content with how things were going. But, as always, his eyes betrayed his body. They were melancholy, detached. He looked broken just by looking at her. "Why did you come here, Zuko?"

He shrugged again and looked back to the fountain, the sleeve of his robe now wet from his trailing hands. "I wanted to see if you were okay. You left in a rush and you didn't look too well."

"I didn't think you would care," she said bitterly, looking down to her lap. "Not after what happened the other day."

He was silent. And it unnerved her. Enough where she felt anger bubble up again as she balled her fists on her thighs.

"You should loathe me right now. You should be wanting to hit me and hurt me for what I decided... For what I've done. I've been so horrible lately. Why are you acting like I didn't do anything wrong?!"

"But I'm still your friend," he whispered, "and you just looked like you needed a friend right now. Sometimes our friendship is more important than my broken heart."

Something in her heart clenched and the pain of remorse dropped in her stomach. This wasn't fair.

She sparred a glance to see his hands were now in his lap, thumbs rubbing against the fingers. She couldn't see his face because it was hidden by his hair, but by the way his voice and shoulders both shook in the slightest, she knew this was harder for him than he let on. She had to stop herself from crying. She didn't want to do this to him. She didn't want him to try to be numb when his feelings were too strong to maintain properly. She wanted him to express his hatred towards her for breaking him, to stop acting like she didn't.

Because it made her feel even more guilty.

"I'd rather you hate me than act like we're still on good terms."

"I could never hate you."

A lone tear escaped her eye and she felt his thumb brush it away, like he had in the garden. Finally looking up, she saw the hurt in his eyes again. He wasn't smiling, in fact there was a bitter frown sullying his normally handsome face. She could see he was mad, despite his claims of otherwise. The way his words curled around her contradicted his expressions, yet she could see he was telling the truth.

He could be angry with her. He could despise her decision to leave him and go back to her home in the Southern Water Tribe. He could scream and throw fire all he wanted.

But he could never hate her.

Not when he loved her the way that he did.

Another tear fell out of her eye and she wiped it away before he could. Anything to avoid touching him, anything to stop this breaking she was feeling inside. Anything to stop her from changing her mind and staying with him in the Fire Nation. She was needed back home, with her people, with her family. She needed to do something for herself, like she told Aang. Like she had told Zuko before. She needed to get away.

Before she could reply, Zuko stood and took her hand, softly and lovingly. He then leaned down and kissed her on her cheek, where a trail from her tears had been, then murmured against her skin, "You deserve happiness, Katara. And if that means it's not with me, I understand."

With that, he dropped her hand and turned to walk away. And as his figure receded and was no longer in sight, Katara finally let the worst of her traitorous tears join the water in the fountain. This was all just a disaster.

* * *

_tbc_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

_**A/N** __this chapter is the final installment and covers the last week of ZK Month. Enjoy, darlings. **Smut** at the end. You have been warned._

* * *

There was nothing about flying on Appa that Katara wasn't familiar with. The way the wind whipped through her hair, the way the land and seas below them breezed past like a blur. She used to find an odd serenity by being up in the air. But right now, she was feeling nothing but emptiness. Not even the fresh air blowing past her and the smell of the approaching sea could calm her and raise her spirits.

"Hey, Kat?"

She turned and saw that Sokka and Suki were looking at her, concerned looks on both of their faces. She raised an eyebrow, waiting for Sokka to continue. He gave his girlfriend a look before he shifted in his spot and cleared his throat. "We've noticed, well Suki's noticed more than me. She pointed it out to me because she thought I should know since I'm your brother and all and I should be worried about you if you're acting weird-" Suki elbowed him in the ribs, "-Ow! Anyway, you've been acting weird. Are you okay?"

Katara chanced a glance to Aang, who was still facing forward as he steered the three passengers in the saddle to Kyoshi Island. Glad he didn't overhear Sokka's comment, or at least didn't react to it, she shrugged and looked back towards the sky. "Nothing's wrong. I just can't wait to get home."

Suki crawled towards her and settled to her left, taking her hand and saying quietly, "Katara, if there's something you can't tell Sokka, you can always tell me. I'm sure it's nothing, but if you need someone I'm always here." She looked back to Sokka. "We're _both _here for you."

Sighing, Katara looked over her shoulder and saw that they were no longer flying over land. Now just the roaming seas were underneath the flying bison. This was something that used to calm her, used to bring her joy and serenity at its very presence. But now as she stared at the waters below her, churning like the aching in her heart, she felt dread and the broken pieces trying to work like they used to.

"I'm fine... I promise."

Because when she looked at the sea, she would think of him.

* * *

**_Six Months Later_**

* * *

Her hands worked meticulously, stirring the pot of sea prunes with a sort of monotony that came with doing the same thing every single day.

Wake up at dawn, do some waterbending training with Master Pakku and his other students in the South Pole, aid the benders and some of the warriors in building structures throughout the city, come home for lunch, sew something of Sokka's, go to the town hall and aid Hakoda in his Chiefly duties _(which included trade negotiations, deciding what laws should be brought into effect, and simple civil spats)_, come back home, make dinner, clean up, go to bed. Repeat.

Tonight was no different than the nights before it, and tomorrow night would be the same.

Though when Hakoda and Sokka came in from their duties of the day, greeting her and Gran Gran as they did, Katara could feel something was off about both of them. Dinner was quiet, an uncomfortable and unusual thing for her, and she had to shake her head at the very thought that something was up that they weren't telling her. They always told her everything.

And after she cleared the dishes, the same gut feeling settling deeper as she did, she couldn't help but notice the sounds of Hakoda's and Sokka's hushed voices from the other side of the table. The way they glanced at her every once in a while, thinking she wasn't looking, and continued to speak in secretive tones.

Miffed, Katara finished with the last of the dishes and whirled around on her heel, making sure she glared at the men of the house before stomping away and declaring tersely as she passed, "I'm going to bed."

She made it to her room without fuss, but felt like she wasn't going to be able to sleep any time soon. Too much on her mind, like it was every day and every night. She didn't feel right, being here. It felt empty, like she didn't belong anymore. It felt that way ever since they first landed back on the shores of their home on the boat from Kyoshi Island. Like she was meant to be doing something else, something better. But every time this thought occurred, she had to remind herself that she chose to come home for herself. But deep down, she knew this felt wrong. Because something was missing.

_More like someone..._

She plopped down onto her bed and began unlacing her boots, trying to push all of those thoughts out of her head. She needed more time for herself. More time to do something _she _wanted. Something _she _needed. And so far, she was doing just that. So why was she still feeling so unfulfilled?

_You know why._

She growled and finished untying the boots before starting to wiggle her feet out. At least a tedious task like this could get her mind off of things. Just as the first boot was taken off, she heard the sound of feet entering her room.

"Listen, Kat, I need to talk to you."

She looked up from the second boot, tugged it off, and rose her eyebrow. "What is it? Did you tear a hole in your pants again?"

Sokka glowered at her for a good second before he sat down in front of her, his back to the fire in the center of the room, and said, "Look, I'm going to get straight to the point here... I've noticed it. Dad's noticed it. Gran Gran's noticed it. You're not yourself."

Katara bristled and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm perfectly fine, Sokka. You asked me when we were on our way back here from Ba Sing Se. And my answer is the same as it was then. There's nothing wrong."

He shook his head and took her boots and placed them next to the fire. "No, I know something's up. And it has been. You might think of me as stupid, but sometimes I can see things that even _you _don't notice. At first, I didn't know what to do, because I didn't really know what the problem actually _was_." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter, addressed to them both, from Iroh. "This came today and as soon as I read it, I realized I knew what has been bothering you."

He opened it and handed it to her. Katara snatched it out of his hands and her eyes scanned over the contents:

_"Sokka and Katara,_

_I hope this reaches both of you in a timely manner, for I don't know how quickly mail reaches the South Pole due to the lack of frequency between our letters. Consequences of being the most popular tea maker in Ba Sing Se, I'm afraid. The reason I am writing is for a personal matter, but not in regards to myself._

_I have been worrying about my nephew much more than I used to. I recently saw him while he was in the city for a meeting with King Kuei and Avatar Aang, yet he didn't seem to be himself. He was tired, I could tell as much, and looked as if he had lost more than a few pounds. I know he has been stressed about the welfare of his country as of late, and of his own life unfortunately._

_I hate to ask, but I think one of you could be the best remedy to his ailments. He holds you both in high regards and would probably appreciate the company of friends. Agni knows he needs them in times like these._

_Unfortunately for my nephew, I fear this may be something different as well. It seems that the heart cannot accept what the mind rejects, and his mind has been pushing things away for far too long. If either of you could make the trip to him, I would be eternally grateful._

_Uncle Iroh"_

Katara looked up from the letter and stared at her brother, knowing there were questions written all over her face. "What exactly does he mean?"

Sokka sighed and took the letter away from her, tucking it back into his pocket, before he shifted in his spot again and replied, "I've been writing with Aang, too. He says that Zuko is a mess. Aang was just in the Fire Nation two weeks ago and Zuko apparently looked like he was about to pass out right in the middle of the meeting with his council. Zuko hasn't been writing often, and I can tell by his letters to me that he's been on edge and kind of different in a way. At first I thought it was the stress and pressures of the job, but then I decided to look around and try to see what I had been missing."

She gulped.

"Kat, you're bad at hiding things," he said simply, smiling softly at her as he did. "And he was, too. I'm not dense, but at first I didn't see it. I didn't want to believe it, then I realized that you two couldn't be more stupid."

Katara's stomach dropped and she all but shrieked, "What?!"

"Calm down!" he held up his hands to quiet her. "I'm saying that if you two were _that_ in love, you shouldn't have left each other. And I know that you were, I could see the way he looked at you. Even before he saved you during his fight with Azula. It's hard to find someone who cares about you that much, Kat, trust me. And when you find them, you have to hold onto them as much as you can.

"And I know with you coming here instead of staying with Zuko in the Fire Nation, it's been hurting you too. Maybe just as much as it's been hurting him."

She blinked away a few tears that had made their way into her eyes and looked away. "You don't even know what you're talking about."

"On the contrary, I do. I've been away from Suki for a month and it's been killing me. You've been away from Zuko for six and I can see it's ripping you into pieces. Kat... He's your soulmate. And you shouldn't stay away from your soulmate."

She felt like her heart had been shot with a dagger of ice, twisting until everything in her had been frozen as well. The tears she had tried to hide had come down her face in full force, chilling her skin as it passed and spilling into her collar. Sokka reached up and wiped them all away, mainly in vain, before taking her by the shoulders and cradling her head against his shoulder.

"Dad has already gotten a ship ready," he said quietly. "You just need to pack your bags. And go see Zuko. I know you came here to help out with the tribe, help keep the peace with our people, and have some time for yourself for once... But I think you can do the same thing at Zuko's side."

Katara sniffed and looked up into her brother's eyes, sincerity clear in the familiar blue. He was right, and she knew it. Since she arrived in the South Pole, something had been missing. Something had been making her feel empty and as if she couldn't really enjoy the company of her tribe and her family. She had done what she came back home to do: she helped rebuild the tribe and helped her father kick off many trade and negotiations with the Earth Kingdom and the Northern Tribe, as well as the Fire Nation. They were prospering and on the fast track towards lasting peace. Everything she had aimed to achieve when she decided to come back had been done.

Yet she still felt unfulfilled.

Deep down, Katara knew Sokka was right. She was missing Zuko. Blinking away the last of her tears, she dropped her gaze to her lap and she sighed, "And you and Dad won't be mad for me leaving? You think it's okay?"

He shrugged and pulled her into a hug again. "I'm not saying that we won't miss you, or I won't castrate that Lord Jerkbender if he hurts you, but I think being with him will really bring out what you've been searching for this whole time."

Katara smiled against her brother's shirt and snuggled into him a little more, trying to imprint his distinct smell and feel, before she pulled away from him and wiped her eyes. "Can you help me pack?"

* * *

The carriage was waiting for her at the docks, near the newly rebuilt guard tower that overlooked the plaza. Though she had been here just six months ago, the harbor of the capital had changed dramatically since the last time she had set foot at this particular dock. On the way in, the Gates of Azulon weren't as heavily guarded as they had been on the Day of Black Sun. It was almost obvious that it would have been like that, but it still was different.

As well as the Gates on the way in, the entrance to the harbor wasn't as busy with protection as when she had left. Several of the battlements on the cliffs above were gone, and the ones that had remained appeared to be empty. The new guard tower and wall were pretty much the same as they had been when she left, but instead of just one entrance the hole that had been blasted through was evened out and had a large barred gate in it's place.

Her past tension regarding this place returned, but she had to breathe deeply and remind herself that she was here for a peaceful visit to the palace. The war was over. She was here for Zuko.

The ride through the harbor district was quick, as was the ride through the city. Iroh must have alerted the staff of her arrival, considering Sokka had written to him right before she left the South Pole, and they knew the need for haste. They must have been worried about their leader's well-being as much as she did.

When they arrived at the gates, Katara felt a wave of anxiety wash over her entirely. She hasn't seen Zuko in months, and they hadn't left on the best of terms, in her opinion. He might not be so keen on her surprise visit, especially if he was already worse for wear. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to endure the wrath of the Fire Lord. Spirits know she had seen it before.

She was escorted out of the carriage and led inside, where a servant bowed to her. Together, they walked through the halls of the palace in almost silence. Just as they passed the throne room, Katara sped up and asked, "Is he not in the throne room?"

"No, milady," the servant murmured over her shoulder. "He's in his office. There weren't any civil matters he needed to deal with for the rest of the afternoon so he chose to remain in his office to deal with some paperwork. He hasn't left for hours."

Katara nodded once and realized they already had reached the wing where Zuko's office was located. And just as they reached the door, the servant bowed once more and skittered away, leaving Katara alone with the lone guard stationed at the entrance. The guard's name was Huang, Katara recognized him from her days spent in the palace before going to Ba Sing Se, and he nodded at her before stepping away from the door. It was the same silent agreement they had when she would try to visit him before his coronation. It was good to see that he recognized her, as well.

She nodded to him in return before twisting the knob and slipping inside. She watched herself close the door behind her before turning and facing the inside of the office. She had to stifle her laughter with her hands when her eyes found the Fire Lord.

Zuko was sitting with his right cheek against the desk, mouth slightly open and drool pooling on the piece of parchment he had possibly been writing on. A brush was laying next to his relaxed hand and a large ink blot had formed where he had stopped writing. She would have been concerned about him being hurt or, Spirits forbid, dead, but the light snores coming from his ajar mouth reassured her of otherwise.

Trying to keep quiet, she slunk over to his desk and knelt in front of him. Up close, she could finally see the differences Iroh had told her about. His cheeks were slightly sunken in, reminding her of starving children she saw on their trip through the Fire Nation during the war. His good eye had dark bags underneath them, and his skin had lost some of its healthy glow.

Zuko was a mess.

Pity overwhelmed her and she had the crushing need to hug him, stuff some food down his throat, and tuck him in for a long, well-deserved nap. Her caring nature begged her to wake him and help him out, to beg him to stop whatever is making him like this, and hold him until the end of time. Her heart was aching just looking at him in this state, practically breaking as she stared at him.

Reaching out, she tucked some of his longer hair behind his scarred ear and cupped the side of his face. He stirred under her touch before his eyes snapped open and his hand snatched her wrist, body flinging upright so he could stare down his possible attacker with menacing eyes and a scowl... But the parchment he had fallen asleep on was stuck to his good cheek.

Her self-control faltered and she let out a soft giggle, just as she reached up with her free hand to pull the parchment away from his skin. She laid it down back on his desk and he let go of her other wrist, letting her pull it to her lap and lay it with her other hand. She offered him a warm smile and waited for him to gain his senses again.

He blinked a few times, obviously still in his sleepy daze, then stammered, "Ka.. Katara? What-what are you doing here? I thought you were in the South Pole."

She shrugged once before replying casually, "Things change. I'm here now." Her tone changed to concerned and she placed a hand on his knee, noting how he jumped under her touch, "Iroh and Aang have both been writing. They're worried about you... I'm worried about you."

His eyes hardened, looking intimidating and fierce with the bag and scar lining them. His brow line pulled down and he looked as if he was about to bite out some fire at her. She wouldn't blame him, with the limited amount of communication they've had and the fact she practically abandoned him six months ago. And it seemed to be a bad decision, in hindsight. He looked terrible, he looked ragged and on edge. He looked like he was about to light her on fire and leave her in a blaze after waltzing out the room.

The last thought caused a chill to go down her spine.

But she needed to be strong. She couldn't show how much she needed him, too, since she left. She was here to help him. More than anything.

"I don't see why you would be worried _now," _he spat out, eyes narrowing before he scooted his chair away from her and crossed his arms over his chest. She noticed that, even under the mantle of the Fire Lord, his chest and shoulders had broadened. In fact, he looked so much older than a few weeks shy of eighteen. He looked worn out._  
_

"I've always been worried about you," she countered, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. "Your _u__ncle _had to be the one to tell me that you've been looking a little worn down-"

"Not that you care."

"-and Aang had to tell us about how you haven't been sleeping or eating, too? Zuko, you're wearing yourself to nothing! You haven't even been Fire Lord for a year and you already look like you're about to keel over and die!"

His eyes sharpened and he stood up, towering over her. "Do you think I can't handle this, Katara?"

The way he said her name sent a second shiver down her spine, but she wouldn't yield. Not right now.

"I'm perfectly capable of running my country," he ground out through gritted teeth. "And I didn't need you to come all the way from your iceberg to mother me. I'm doing _fine."_

"Zuko, you don't look fine!" she shouted as she poked him in the chest. "When was the last time you ate? Or slept decently for that matter? I came in here and you were passed out on your desk like you hadn't had a minute of shut eye in weeks!"

"I'm. _Fine._"

Katara felt her temper rise and she snapped, her mouth tumbling out the first thing she could think of as a retort, "Alright. If you're so 'fine', prove it. Fight me. One on one, down in the training arena. First person down loses."

Zuko tried to feign indifference about the challenge, but she could see in his eyes the shock when she had rolled that off her tongue. He obviously didn't expect that to be her next set of words. Now, it looked like his mind was scrambling for a comeback. He scowled and replied, "And if you lose?"

"I'll go home on the next ship to the South Pole."

He paused for a moment, eyes darkening with something unfamiliar to her, and then he muttered, "And if _I _lose?"

"You let me put some food in your stomach and you get a good night's sleep. And, you have to tell me what the hell has been going on."

He seemed to contemplate the disadvantages of this challenge, what he would really lose if the duel didn't end in his favor. He was more calculating now, she noticed. She guessed that's what happened when one had a country to run on their own. Her patience is running thin, however. She doesn't even wait for his answer now. Instead, she turned on her heel and headed towards the door.

"Be there in fifteen minutes or I'll assume you've forfeited," she called out to him over her shoulder, tossing her hair back as she did so. "And then I'll make you some dinner."

Katara didn't miss the flabbergasted look on his face, and she was proud of it. She didn't miss the Huang chuckling into his hand, eyes mirthful, when she closed the door behind her either. She shot him a grin and began flouncing down the hall towards the staircase that led to the training arena, ignoring the sound of Zuko's frustrated shout from behind his door.

She made it to the arena fairly quickly, ridding herself of her tunic and pants as soon as her feet hit the floor. She was just in a tank top and her bindings when she went to bring two barrels of water to one side of the sparring ring, marking off her territory. Just as she set down the second barrel, she heard the Fire Lord enter the room.

"I'm glad to see you decided to show up," she taunted as she turned around and began weaving her hair into a plait. He shot her a hateful glare before he began shedding his clothes. His crown and top knot came out first, causing his hair to fall down over his eyes and cover the back of his neck. She couldn't even imagine how he was going to fight with such a visual obstruction, but she decided not to question him about it. He already seemed volatile enough.

Next came the mantle on his shoulders, revealing a fine looking burgundy shirt with gold and black trimmings. His pointed-toe boots came off next and then he shed his shirt and bracers, leaving him in just a pair of trousers and a sour attitude.

He cracked his neck and then his knuckles, causing her to cringe at the pops, and he stared her down as he sunk into an offensive position. "Whenever you're ready, waterbender."

She smirked and lowered herself as well, bringing up to balls of water to each of her palms as she replied, "You're on, firebender."

There was no time to stall. He attacked first with a flurry of punches laced with fire, shooting fireballs at a high velocity that she barely had the time to deflect. The water she brought up as a shield had turned to steam, forcing her to bring up another snake of water. She was ready, she was going to win. But Zuko had a different idea, because he was charging towards her with fire jets shooting out of his bare feet, propelling him quickly right to her.

Katara took a water whip and tried to wrap it around his ankle, but he shot himself up into the air, flipping over her, and landed behind her with cat-like agility before he lunged forward again. She brought up a wave of water out of both barrels and sent a barrage of ice daggers right towards him. He must have seen it coming because he dug his foot into the ground and pushed himself to his right, shooting out a fountain of fire that melted every single dagger that hadn't quite missed.

Even though he got drenched with the water left over from the attack, and had a knick or two on his forearms, he was charging her again, blazes of fire dancing on his knuckles as he ducked underneath another one of her water whips.

_He's gotten better, _she absently thought to herself as she rolled out of the way of a second offensive strike. Even though she smacked him with a water whip on his right cheek, he was getting closer, quicker than she was prepared for, and before she knew it they were fighting hand-to-hand.

Sokka and Suki had taught her some moves, but she wasn't as skilled as Zuko. Where she had agility and unpredictability, he had strength and was cunning. She was fast, but he was faster.

She swung for his face, he ducked and tried to get her with a jab to her abdomen. She twisted out of the way and try again with another hook, but he grabbed her fist and pushed her away. Stumbling, Katara could barely right herself before Zuko lunged forward and hooked her ankle with the front of his foot, causing her to fall to the training room floor.

All of the air was pushed out of her lungs and stars danced in her eyes, senses returning to her just as Zuko leapt on top of her, legs bracing the sides of her hips and hands pinning her wrists to the floor. She struggled, tried to kick him off, but his shins had her thighs painfully stuck. His hands were hot on her wrists and the only thing she could move freely was her head, yet she had no desire to.

Because she was struck silent by her loss and the rage in his eyes.

He was panting, unruly and wet hair sticking to his face as he looked down at her. His grip on her wrists was starting to slacken as he stared at her, but his glare was unwavering. She tried to squirm out from underneath him again, body instantly starting to react to the familiarity of his on top of it, but to no avail. He was just too strong, even in his weakened appearance.

"Yield," he said in between breaths. He looked like he was about to pass out, based on the way his eyes were glazed over and how his body had sort of sagged against hers. She could tell he was pushing himself to the limit just by holding her down. It must have taken everything he had to even beat her, and now he was running on fumes.

"Admit that you need my help and I will," she countered. He must have not seen that coming, because he looked as if he had gotten smacked right across his face with one of her water whips again. He was too proud to admit weakness, she knew that. And he was too ashamed to admit that he needed her now. She could tell just by looking in those eyes.

"And what will you do then, huh?" he breathed, hot air fanning against her face. "There's nothing you can do to help me, Katara. I'm on my own."

"You don't have to be!" she spat, glaring at him as she struggled under his body weight again. "You're being too damn stubborn right now! I'm just trying to make sure you don't fall over and die the next time you decide to do a little training session. Because I can tell right now that it took everything you had to beat me."

"But I still beat you," he replied, voice getting hoarse with strain. "And a bet's a bet. You better be getting on that ship back home real soon, sweetheart."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what is happening-!"

"You want to know what's going on?!" He practically roared at her, eyes getting wild as he stared her down. His hands tightened around her wrists and she had to bite her tongue to stop the yelp that almost escaped her when the bones popped. He snarled out some fire when he continued, "There have been nineteen attempts on my life since I took the crown. _Nineteen__, _Katara! I'm too anxious to sleep because I'm afraid someone is going to come into my room in the middle of the night and cut out my heart while I lie in my bed, helpless.

"There's a food shortage already because of all the troops that have been recalled and sent back home. And King Kuei is badgering me and pushing down my throat about sending more money to them for rebuilding but the problem is that _we don't have any fucking money! Plus _he's trying to get me to disband the colonies and send everyone back to the Fire Nation, but I can't do that because there are Earth Kingdom families that have intermarried with some Fire Nation citizens for generations. I can't just kick them out of their homes!"

His voice became a whisper now, "Not to mention the girl I've been in love with since the before the end of the war has practically been ignoring me since she left me high and dry six months ago." He paused and inhaled a shuddering breath. "And every time something happens to me I just wish she was here to help me through it all, but then I remember she decided that she didn't want to be with me. And left."

He finally collapsed onto her, burying his face into the crook of her neck as he shook uncontrollably. His grip around her wrists vanished completely, giving her the ability to finally wrap her arms under his shoulders and squeeze him tight. Just like she did during the thunderstorm. But this time, there was a different storm brewing that he was afraid of. And she wasn't here to help him through it.

This was partially her fault.

"I'm so sorry, Zuko," she murmured. "If I had known..."

"I don't need your pity," he mumbled against her skin.

"I'm not pitying you," she said, her grip around him loosening as he ceased to shake. "I'm apologizing. I should have been here for you. I should have written, I should have-"

He pulled himself off of her and rolled onto his back, eyes shut as he breathed heavily. "But you didn't."

She rolled up onto her elbow and looked down at him. "That's not fair, Zuko. My people, my family needed me-"

"_I_ needed you!" he shouted, eyes snapping open. He sat up quickly, wobbling a little as he did, and pointed at her right in the center of her chest. "You left me when I needed you the most. Don't you get it, Katara? You broke me, more than I could have afforded. You broke me..."

He broke off onto a hoarse whisper, eyes downcast and hand shaking in strain. He was barely able to keep himself up.

Carefully, Katara took his hand away from her chest and cradled it between both of hers. He didn't spare her a glance when she brought it up to her lips and kissed each of his knuckles, one by one, and cupped her cheek with his palm. He didn't resist her. And to try to bring her point across more, she took one of her right hand and cupped his left cheek, mirroring how she held his hand up to her face, and rubbed her thumb across the ridges of his scar. His eyes fluttered closed and he sighed out breath that sounded as if he had been holding it since he had stopped speaking.

"I made a mistake by leaving you," she started. His eyes opened, and he looked more tired than she had ever seen him. At least the fire behind his eyes had extinguished to just a dull gold. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "I made a mistake by leaving you all alone when you needed me. It took me six months to realize this, because every day I was in the South Pole I realized I wasn't home... Because my home is here, with you. Wherever you are, it's my home. Because you're home to me."

Zuko looked as if someone had sent a spark through his heart, bringing his eyes back to life and lighting the fire within them again. He didn't even reply with words, because he was pulling her face towards his and pressing his lips against hers with a bruising force that made her dizzy. His hands were tangled in her hair, pulling it free of the braid, and bringing her into his lap.

In a flash, his lips were all over her neck and his hands were finding purchase wherever they could settle on her skin. It was sensational. He showered her in fervent kisses that were lighting her skin on fire. Every time his lips left her skin, it felt like he was shocking her with small sparks of lightning. It was new, it was great. It was perfect.

She couldn't refrain from tugging at the hem of his pants and reaching inside, delighted to find he was already hard and wanting. He practically throbbed in her hand. And the hiss that seeped through his teeth felt like it was followed with lava, the way her skin burned with the touch of his tongue.

His mouth was unrelenting, yet his hands were gentle. He was a living contradiction underneath her.

He had already disposed of her tank top and upper wrappings by the time her senses caught up with her mind, all because his teeth were worrying her nipple and his tongue was trailing against it in the most terribly taunting fashion. He must have found some pleasure in seeing her writhe on top of him, breathy moans leaving her lips between gasps and curses.

Though she got her revenge when she would squeeze and twist her hand, earning groans against her chest and a lack of smug chuckles. They only came back just as quickly when he would thrust up into her hand and jolt her center in just the slightest way that would cause her to squeak in surprise. His smirk didn't help either.

His lips came back up to her mouth and his hands went to occupy her now neglected breasts, thumbs brushing over the nipples slick with his spit. He smiled into her lips when she inhaled sharply. But he didn't speak. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. Their kiss deepened and she almost missed when one hand slipped around to the front of her waist and down over her womanhood through her bindings. But she didn't miss when his calloused fingers began stroking her through the fabric.

"Oh, shit," she hissed, breaking their kiss and dropping her head back. Katara's hand had tightened around Zuko and his growled right as he latched onto her exposed throat. His fingers slipped through her bindings now and rubbing her clit directly, causing her legs to tighten and her toes to curl. This was almost too much.

And Zuko must have read her thoughts, because he all but threw her off of his lap and onto her back, looping his fingers into the wrappings and tugging them off of her legs. Without warning, he brought his mouth straight to her center, lapping up any wetness that had been there and tickling her clit with the tip of his tongue. Her back arched off of the ground and she had to stifle the scream that almost erupted from her lips when he did. He was overwhelming her with sensations and she had to practically force herself to breathe.

All too soon, his mouth left her and he was crawling on top of her, his pants shed and his erection bobbing right above her. He kissed her again, tongue tasting like her, and he smiled into her mouth before wrapping one arm around her back and rolling them over so he was on his back. Momentarily jolted by the sudden movement, Katara barely had time to adjust before Zuko thrust himself up into her. Her moan rolled out and vibrated through her chest, as did his.

His hands were digging bruises into her hips when she began grinding on him, using the strength in her abs to roll and gyrate her hips like she did in her bending. And Zuko was appreciating it fully. His lower lip was caught between his teeth and his eyes were screwed shut, while steam hissed out of his nose with every single shaking exhale.

Suddenly, Zuko relinquished Katara's control and sat up, pulling her off and twisting her so she was on her hands and knees. Her shock with his sudden strength was interrupted when he entered her from behind, hitting her deeper than he ever has, with quick and almost clumsy thrusts. Her moans seemed almost animalistic, like they weren't even from her lips. And Zuko's were the same, barely contained and deep, before he leaned forward and grazed the skin of her shoulder with his teeth. His groans were vibrating through her whole body, meeting the ones from his thrusts and shaking her to something close to oblivion.

Her orgasm was a quick climb, cresting with the shout of his name and the sensation that every drop of water in the room seemed to freeze in their spot. Zuko's came just after hers began to recede, mouth leaving her shoulder to breathe out a plume of fire into the air.

She would have heard his murmurs, his apologies and praises leaving his mouth like a prayer, but her vision began to cloud with black and her body felt a sudden onset of exhaustion. The last thing she thought before she closed her eyes was that Zuko would probably prefer sleeping in his bed rather than this cold floor.

* * *

Katara woke to the feeling of Zuko kissing the side of her face and the warmth of his hands holding her body against his. She sighed against the skin of his chest and nuzzled herself a little closer before opening her eyes and looking up. He had a small, content smile gracing his lips and his eyes were barely open. He looked like he just woke up, like she had.

He hummed and pressed his lips to her forehead. "You know, I wasn't expecting my day to end like this _at all._"

Katara giggled and arched her back in a stretch, replying, "I thought of it a little on my way up here."

"Did you now?" His eyes opened all the way, bright and clear gold locking on her. Sitting up, he loomed over her and smirked. "Is that all you thought of?"

She reached up and cupped the side of his face. "Perhaps. But they include you having a full stomach and a good night's sleep."

Zuko chuckled and leaned down to bury his face in the crook of her neck. "For some reason, I wouldn't expect any less from you."

"If you did, then you don't know me well," she murmured. "Come on. Let's get up and get some dinner. And then you're going to sleep. I'm forcing you to."

He groaned into her shoulder and shook his head, almost in a childish manner, before he lifted himself away from her and pouted, "Fine. But we're sleeping in my bed tonight."

She smiled brightly at him, stood and pulled on her clothes. She watched as he did the same, smiling just as radiantly as she did. He sauntered over to her, crown in his hand, when he knelt down in front of her and handed her the golden flame.

"Would you mind?" he murmured as he glanced up to her through the shag of his bangs. She snickered and took the flame and tie from his hand. Slowly, she ran her fingers through his silky hair and began pulling the top half into a polished- or as polished as she could get it without a brush- top knot. She tied it and slid the crown into its proper place, smiling when her face was reflected back to her in the metal.

Zuko's hands were on her waist and he remained on his knees, looking up at her with a glowing and worshiping appreciation that made her blush furiously. He stood and took her face between his hands, leaning forward so their lips were barely touching.

"I just wanted to let you know that I love you so much," he murmured before he pressed his lips against hers and snaked his arms around her waist.

When he pulled away, Katara buried her face against his chest, rubbing her nose against the hard fabric of the mantle, and sighed, "I love you, too, Zuko. More than you could ever realize. And I'm sorry I didn't stay here... I just had some things to figure out."

"I would have rather you figure them out than be in the dark."

She looked up and saw the sincerity in his eyes as he grinned down at her. Instead of answering him, she took his hand and led him out of the training room. "Come on, let's get some food in your belly. I'll cook."

"Are you going to be cooking for me often?" he asked in a timid voice. She turned and saw the hesitation on his face as he slowed his strides. She nodded once, smiling widely, and relief washed over the his hesitation. "As long as it's not sea prunes, that would be great."

* * *

_fin_


End file.
